A post worth its salt

You think you know your salt?  Well, unless you have a degree in salt (or the geologic science that would study minerals like salt) or agriculture, you should read RoguePundit’s Random Nature #38, which is all about the vital, but often unwanted, mineral.

Controlling salt supplies became a means to power.  The Romans concentrated their power around salt sources and routes.  Salarium argentum--salt money--was what Roman soldiers were paid...the source of our word salary.  Salaam, originally meaning peace, derives from negotiating for salt--the amount to be paid in tribute.  Many wars have been fought over and financed by salt, and the availability of salt has impacted a number of these wars...even fairly recently. 

The Rogue also details how salt gets into farming soils and how it mixes in the ground water near shorelines.  And much much more!