People and places: : Philip Burgess, Salt Association

• Autores: Industrial Minerals
• Localización: Industrial Minerals, ISSN 0019-8544, Nº. 585, 2016 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Julio/Agosto)
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Salt is a commodity, not a luxury item and so is not susceptible to the amount of money in people's pockets. Apart from energy prices in the UK -- which have been, and continue to be a concern, particularly in the manufacturing process for white salt -- I guess we could say that the industry is largely recession-proof. But it is not weatherproof. The industry faces many challenges during periods of sustained freezing temperatures.

    The industry in the UK is comfortably balanced in this regard as the nation's supply of 2-3m tpa meets its demand. However, some imports of brown, de-icing salt are seen in severe winters and favourable currency exchange rates can sometimes drive imports of non-food white salt, principally for water softening, but it is generally low volume.

    Our industry is reacting positively. Salt mining companies are phasing-out the use of diesel engines wherever possible. Blasting has been replaced by electric cutting, which has contributed to a huge reduction in emissions of nitrous oxides and particulates