Benin

In Benin, salt is washed out of sand.

Along the coast, women collect sand with a high salt content from the ground. Water is poured through it, dissolving the salt while the sand grains remain behind.

What comes out is a concentrated brine. Traditionally, it is boiled until the water evaporates and the salt crystallises again.

The method has been used for generations and remains an important source of income in coastal communities.

First the salt sits in the sand. Then it moves into the water. Finally, it becomes crystals again.