The White Gold of Inagua: The History and Process of Morton Salt
Introduction
I. The Beginnings: From Rakes to Revolution
The story of salt in Inagua predates modern corporations. For centuries, "salt raking" was a brutal, manual labor performed by early settlers and enslaved people who used wooden rakes to scrape crystals from natural ponds. However, the modern industrial era began in the late 1930s with the arrival of three American brothers: Doug, Bill, and Jim Erickson.
In 1935, the Ericksons founded the West India Chemical Company. They saw the potential in Inagua’s flat, arid landscape and constant trade winds. They moved away from manual labor, introducing mechanization, building canals, and installing the "Pemona" pump to flood Lake Windsor (now Lake Rosa) with seawater. By 1954, their operation had grown so successful—yet so capital-intensive—that they sold it to the Morton Salt Company of Chicago. Under Morton’s stewardship (operating as Morton Bahamas Limited), the facility was modernized into the global powerhouse it is today.
II. The Solar Evaporation Process
Unlike "rock salt" which is mined from the earth, Inagua salt is "solar salt." The process is a masterpiece of environmental engineering, relying on the sun, the wind, and a unique biological cycle.
1. The Concentrating Ponds
The journey begins at the sea. Massive pumps pull millions of gallons of Atlantic seawater into a series of massive, shallow reservoirs. As the tropical sun beats down and the constant trade winds sweep across the island, the water begins to evaporate.
As the water level drops, the salinity increases. This brine is moved through a sequence of "concentrating ponds." In these ponds, a fascinating biological process occurs:
Algal Mats: A thick layer of algae grows at the bottom, helping to seal the ponds and absorb solar heat.
Brine Shrimp: Tiny shrimp thrive in this high-salinity environment, eating the algae and keeping the water clear so sunlight can penetrate deeper.
The Flamingo Connection: The famous West Indian Flamingos of Inagua eat the brine shrimp. Their waste, in turn, provides nutrients for the algae, creating a closed-loop "Man and Nature" ecosystem.
Me standing on a rock hard salt pan - ©A. Derek Catalano
2. The Crystallizing Pans
Once the brine reaches a specific density (roughly 10 times saltier than the ocean), it is moved into the Crystallizing Pans. These are smaller, meticulously leveled areas where the final stage of evaporation occurs. Here, the brine becomes "saturated," and pure sodium chloride begins to precipitate out of the liquid, falling to the floor of the pan to form a thick, hard crust of white crystals.
III. Harvesting and Processing
When the salt bed reaches the desired thickness—often several inches deep—the harvest begins.
Salt harvesting - ©A. Derek Catalano
Harvesting: Massive mechanical harvesters move through the pans, lifting the salt crust and loading it into "salt trucks" or "trailers."
Salt washing - ©A. Derek CatalanoWashing: The raw salt is transported to the wash plant. Despite its white appearance, it contains impurities like calcium sulfate or bits of algae. It is washed in a concentrated brine solution; because the brine is already saturated with salt, it won't dissolve the crystals but will carry away the lighter impurities.
Salt stacking - ©A. Derek CatalanoStacking: The clean salt is moved via conveyor belts to form the iconic "Salt Mountains" of Matthew Town. These gleaming white piles can reach heights of 60 to 80 feet and are visible from miles away.
IV. From Island to Home: Shipping and Distribution
Inagua has no deep-water harbor suitable for massive freighters, so Morton utilizes a unique logistics system.
Conveyor to Sea: A long conveyor belt system extends from the stockpiles out to a dedicated pier.
The Fleet: For decades, the Cecile Erickson (named after the Erickson brothers' mother) was the legendary vessel that carried salt from the island. Today, modern bulk carriers dock at the pier to be loaded directly via the high-speed conveyor.
Refining and Packaging: Most of the salt shipped from Inagua is "bulk salt." It is sent to Morton facilities in the United States or abroad. There, it is further refined, kiln-dried to remove remaining moisture, and often "iodized" (adding potassium iodide) or treated with anti-caking agents like calcium silicate.
The End Product: Finally, the salt is packaged into the iconic blue canisters featuring the "Umbrella Girl." Whether it is used for de-icing roads, chemical manufacturing, or seasoning a meal in a kitchen, the journey of that grain of salt likely began in the sun-drenched pans of Great Inagua.
V. Conclusion
The Morton Salt operation in Inagua is more than just a factory; it is the lifeblood of the island’s economy and a partner to its environment. By harnessing the basic elements of nature—ocean, sun, and wind—Inagua continues to provide the world with "white gold," maintaining a tradition of salt production that has defined the Southern Bahamas for centuries.
