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Salt Of The Earth: Deep Inside Eastern Ukraine's Massive Soledar Mines

Russian forces in Ukraine are trying to capture the eastern salt-mining town of Soledar in a sustained offensive that Kyiv's Defense Ministry has described as "maniacal." On January 10, the head of the Vagner mercenary group whose soldiers are thought to be spearheading the Soledar offensive, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claimed they had taken nearly all of the town but said there was still fierce fighting in the town center. Ukraine says their troops are still battling in Soledar.

Capturing Soledar and its salt mines would have symbolic, military, and commercial value for Russia and would be Moscow's most substantial battlefield gain in months after suffering a series of setbacks. There are estimated to be 200 kilometers of disused mining tunnels criss-crossing the surrounding area.

In 2019, RFE/RL's Amos Chapple visited Soledar as the salt-mining operation was hoping to crack Western markets after Russia blocked its imports.

(Originally published on June 15, 2019.)

This is pure salt. The crystal-clear chunk was extracted from the Artyomsol salt mine in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
1 This is pure salt. The crystal-clear chunk was extracted from the Artyomsol salt mine in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
An underground chamber at the mine, created after thousands of tons of rock salt was extracted. Geologists working for the mine say less than 5 percent of the salt seam has been removed since operations began in 1881.
2 An underground chamber at the mine, created after thousands of tons of rock salt was extracted. Geologists working for the mine say less than 5 percent of the salt seam has been removed since operations began in 1881.
An emergency escape ladder runs up one wall of a chamber in the mine, hundreds of meters beneath the surface.
3 An emergency escape ladder runs up one wall of a chamber in the mine, hundreds of meters beneath the surface.
A transport tunnel inside the mine. The vast salt seam under the town of Soledar, meaning "gift of salt," was formed after an ancient sea in the region dried up.  
4 A transport tunnel inside the mine. The vast salt seam under the town of Soledar, meaning "gift of salt," was formed after an ancient sea in the region dried up.
 
The mine employs more than 2,800 people and supplies some 95 percent of Ukrainians' salt.
5 The mine employs more than 2,800 people and supplies some 95 percent of Ukrainians' salt.
A mine worker at the controls of a "combine."
6 A mine worker at the controls of a "combine."
The business end of the combine, poised to grind the salt into an easily transportable powder. 
7 The business end of the combine, poised to grind the salt into an easily transportable powder. 
A worker pours freshly ground salt into a heap. From here it will be transported to the surface.
8 A worker pours freshly ground salt into a heap. From here it will be transported to the surface.
In 2015, amid conflict between Russia-backed separatists and the Ukrainian military, the mine lost around one-third of its market when Russian authorities abruptly suspended imports of Artyomsol's salt.  
9 In 2015, amid conflict between Russia-backed separatists and the Ukrainian military, the mine lost around one-third of its market when Russian authorities abruptly suspended imports of Artyomsol's salt.
 
​Ground salt being zipped toward an elevator that will transport it to the surface.
10 ​Ground salt being zipped toward an elevator that will transport it to the surface.
As well as selling salt for both food and heavy industry, the Artyomsol mine also does a swift trade in an unusual salt product.
11 As well as selling salt for both food and heavy industry, the Artyomsol mine also does a swift trade in an unusual salt product.
These salt blocks, which sell for around 8 euros each, are used for "speleo rooms" -- chambers built from salt that seek to recreate the allegedly restorative conditions of salt mines.
12 These salt blocks, which sell for around 8 euros each, are used for "speleo rooms" -- chambers built from salt that seek to recreate the allegedly restorative conditions of salt mines.
A worker slices up blocks of salt. There is disagreement over whether inhaling salt dust is indeed the miracle cure for respiratory illnesses it is claimed to be. But after a Polish doctor noticed that workers in salt mines often avoided the lung diseases common to coal miners, the "halotherapy" industry was born.
13 A worker slices up blocks of salt. There is disagreement over whether inhaling salt dust is indeed the miracle cure for respiratory illnesses it is claimed to be. But after a Polish doctor noticed that workers in salt mines often avoided the lung diseases common to coal miners, the "halotherapy" industry was born.
But the majority of sales remain salt for zesting up food. And company officials say Artyomsol is seeking to crack Western markets.  
14 But the majority of sales remain salt for zesting up food. And company officials say Artyomsol is seeking to crack Western markets.

 
Freshly packed boxes of table salt flow off the production line. A spokesman told RFE/RL that Artyomsol is currently designing packaging to catch the eyes of Western shoppers.
15 Freshly packed boxes of table salt flow off the production line. A spokesman told RFE/RL that Artyomsol is currently designing packaging to catch the eyes of Western shoppers.
A vintage sign at the entrance to one of Artyomsol's mines.
16 A vintage sign at the entrance to one of Artyomsol's mines.
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Amos Chapple

Amos Chapple is a New Zealand-born photographer and picture researcher with a particular interest in the former U.S.S.R.

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