# Seawater to Table Salt **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 13, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seawater-to-table-salt/509865 "2009-09-13T00:06:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seawater-to-table-salt/509865/1 "2009-09-13T00:06:59Z")
How is it possible for me to convert seawater to table salt? Do I just put it in a bowl and let it evaporate? Boil it? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seawater-to-table-salt/509865/2 "2009-09-13T00:15:09Z")
You wouldn’t get much from a single bowl but that is how it’s done commercially. [Cargill salt flats.](http://wikimapia.org/1414309/Cargill-Salt-Flats) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seawater-to-table-salt/509865/3 "2009-09-13T00:41:44Z")
You’ll get sea salt, which has additional minerals compared to commercial table salt. Most commercial salt is refined, so it is purer sodium chloride than sea salt. Most commercial salt is mined from underground deposits of rock salt, although some is refined from sea salt. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seawater-to-table-salt/509865/4 "2009-09-13T01:57:34Z")
All salt mines were sea salt originally. There is no real difference. As far as salt from the ocean is concerned, try reading up on the life of Gandhi. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seawater-to-table-salt/509865/5 "2009-09-13T02:17:36Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > All salt mines were sea salt originally. There is no real difference. > > As far as salt from the ocean is concerned, try reading up on the life of Gandhi. _Distinguo._ While table salt does contain some impurities (other than dessicant additives, etc., it’s nearly totally sodium chloride, with a bit of iodide added. This is because hypersaline basins precipitate fractionally, separating out the constituent salts, which are all present in the evaporation of sea salt. (Since most of the saline content of sea water is sodium chloride, it’s by far the largest, but far from the only deposit of evaporites. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seawater-to-table-salt/509865/6 "2009-09-13T02:32:01Z")
You’ll get a very different product from table salt, or even most commercial sea salt (which is purified too). Namely, it will be a lot more bitter (ever taste the ocean?) and a lot richer in nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, etc. (but possibly also undesireable stuff). ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seawater-to-table-salt/509865/7 "2009-09-13T05:44:38Z")
If you want a really detailed answer, [Salt: a World History](http://www.amazon.com/Salt-World-History-Mark-Kurlansky/dp/0142001619/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b) is an entertaining read.