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BrightCharlie t1_j93b1jl wrote

Reply to comment by Nyrin in Was reading something related to Rock Salt mining. In places like the Himalayas where rock salt mining is done in cold temperatures, a lot of miners report burns. Why is it so that salt burns in a colder surroundings? Would it be the same reason why the salt ice challenge was so dangerous? by vvdmoneymuttornot

And in case you're wondering where the water comes from in rock salt, remember that sodium chloride is a powerful desiccant, it'll literally remove water from the air and turn it into salt water -- which is also why it's used as a food preservative, because it very thoroughly dries it (and any bacteria it might have, too)

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[deleted] t1_j948dn7 wrote

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DeftTurnOfPhrase t1_j94a0xa wrote

This basically does happen in places with high humidity. It doesn't become "full" of water, but the salt clumps together enough to become impossible to shake out of the container. One remedy is to mix the salt with dry rice, which is either more of a desiccant than salt or has a mechanical effect that breaks up the clumps.

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lunchlady55 t1_j95wnw2 wrote

Not Morton Salt with it's anti-caking agent Calcium Silicate!

When it rains, it pours!

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Y34rZer0 t1_j95zjtx wrote

just like glitter clumping, it’s a common stripper problem.
Well that’s what my Nan used to say

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Kolemawny t1_j949toz wrote

There is a humidity difference between your kitchen and an underground mine.

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freshmountainbreeze t1_j94yulb wrote

The top of the shaker is often covered with water droplets where I live due to the salt residue collecting moisture from the extremely humid air.

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rational_american t1_j97epu7 wrote

Where would this be? That sounds like variations in temperature are causing condensation. I have lived on a literal island in the ocean, 500 meters from the pounding waves, and have had my salt clump a bit, but never dissolve itself into salt water in the container, even though dew and condensation was on everything at least some part of almost every day.

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comparmentaliser t1_j95gl6h wrote

Many restaurants put rice in the shaker to help break up clumps that form when it a absorbs moisture.

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