Morton Salt has a long-standing presence near the Great Salt Lake in Utah, where it operates large-scale salt production facilities. The company utilizes the unique natural environment of the lake, which contains one of the most saline bodies of water in the Western Hemisphere, to harvest salt efficiently. Morton Salt’s operations primarily involve the extraction of salt through solar evaporation. This process takes advantage of Utah’s arid climate and abundant sunlight, which cause water from the lake to evaporate, leaving behind concentrated salt deposits. These deposits are then processed and refined for various uses, including food-grade salt, industrial salt, and deicing salt.
The Great Salt Lake’s salt production supports industries beyond just table salt, contributing to sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, and infrastructure maintenance. However, environmental challenges have grown in recent years. The lake’s water levels have been declining due to upstream water diversions and prolonged drought conditions, raising concerns about the sustainability of its ecosystems and industries reliant on it. Morton Salt and other companies that operate around the lake are increasingly under scrutiny for their role in the region’s water usage and environmental impact. Conservation efforts aim to balance the lake’s economic contributions with the need to preserve its unique and fragile ecosystem, which is home to critical wildlife habitats and migratory bird populations.