For salt:

The principal Australian feedstock for the production of salt is seawater. In some locations, however, the starting point is a naturally available saline solution, eg.: at Lake Bumbunga, South Australia, and Bajool, Queensland. Regardless of the feedstock, the basic process is based on solar evaporation. The salt industry is undoubtedly the largest industrial user of solar energy.

The materials handling systems employed embody major pumping and pipeline techniques in order to get the brine into the harvest ponds and this is followed by major materials handling systems using heavy earth moving equipment, conveyor stackers, and reclaimers. Shipments of salt have been made through ports on the Western Australian west coast, namely: Port Hedland, Exmouth Gulf, and Esperance. Other port facilities handling the product have been the ports of Adelaide and Melbourne. Salt, as with other products, presents its own special materials handling problems, mainly in the form of corrosion.

Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering