The second biggest and major application of salt is for anti-icing and de-icing of roads, both are spread by specialised winter vehicles.

UK imports large tonnage of salt for de-icing as local production does not suffice requirements. Locally anti-icing salt is produced from a single mine in Cheshire. Cheshire’s mined Rock salt is often brownish in colour due to contamination of small amounts of marl. Himalayan pink salt is more refined and far better quality compared to locally produced de-icing salt due to its natural ingredients. De-icing salt is mixed with sodium hexacyanoferrate as an anti-caking agent to make sure free flow of the gritting vehicles.

Recent Research confirms that every £1 expended on winter road maintenance, saves around £8 in the economy.