Rio Tinto is a large producer of salt in Western Australia and is the world's largest exporter. The company harvests salt crystals through solar evaporation of seawater and underground brines in large ponds.

Salt has some 14,000 direct and indirect uses and is a vital ingredient for human life. As well as food production and agriculture, salt is used in a range of chemical applications, in the production of intermediate products used to produce glass and PVC, and as a de-icing agent on roads.