Eli5: What gives Himalayan pink salt or black salt or any other natural colored salts their color?

Question

I am aware many minerals are there in the salts and they may or may not have health benefits or flavors but what gives these salts their color is it a particular mix of other mineral salts or any particular element

In: 55

Answer 1

In pink salt, it is other minerals. I have seen the mineral spectrum list years ago, there are around two dozen other elements in the salt, some of which give it the color.

source: I use sodium hydroxide to separate the minerals from the salt.

Answer 2

I’m assuming you’re referring to actual, natural sea salt but one interesting, somewhat unrelated fun fact is that a good amount of Himalayan Sea Salt bought in a store is actually rock salt from Pakistan that is colored using natural dyes!

Answer 3

I believe black salt is actually hand made by burning the salt in bamboo shutes multiple times over. What is left is the carbonized remains of the burned wood together with the salt, giving the salt the black color.