INAGUAS and SALT Salt is very important to Inagua. It creates most of the jobs there. Through a geographical quirk, salt was created there. Due to the dry, hot weather, and the shallow salty ponds, salt is created fromt he drying of seawater. Below, you can see the artificail ponds into which are pumped seawater. In Inagua, the "Solar Evaporation" method of obtaining salt is used. SOLAR EVAPORATION METHOD This is the oldest method of salt production. It has been used since salt crystals were first noticed in trapped pools of sea water. Its use is practical only in warm climates where the evaporation rate exceeds the precipitation rate, either annually or for extended periods, and ideally, where there are steady prevailing winds. Solar salt production is, typically, the capturing of salt water in shallow ponds where the sun evaporates most of the water. The concentrated brine precipitates the salt which is then gathered by mechanical harvesting machines. Any impurities that may be present in the brine are drained off and discarded prior to harvesting. Usually two types of ponds are used. First is the concentrating pond, where the salty water from the ocean or salt lake is concentrated. The second is called the crystallizing pond, where the salt is actually produced. Crystallizing ponds range from to 40 to 200 acres with a foot-thick floor of salt resulting from years of depositions. During the salt-making season of four to five months, brine flows continuously through these ponds. This is a saturated brine solution, containing as much salt as it can hold, so pure salt crystallizes out of the solution as the water evaporates. Natural chemical impurities are returned to the salt water source. Morton Salt Company were the first company to capitialize on the favorable conditons for producing salt in the Inaguas. Since they have been there, they have contributed jobs, and many other things, including a library, hotel, restaurant, etc.