Closer examination shows that it resembles the stuff folks put on their driveways. Pillars left behind support the mine. None of the salt goes for human consumption. Other mines produce that, in a different way. Workers at the Lyons mine use loading machines to gather the salt.
Crushers do their job.
A conveyor belt moves the salt to the elevators, where it travels to the surface in 5-ton batches. The salt does not need to be processed. Depending on supply and demand, it could wind up going to the Kansas City area or other parts of mid-America almost immediately. Fearing a resumption of icy weather, local governments are awaiting salt deliveries right now. The hard winter boosted prices.