Started in 1965 by three Irish American brothers, The Irish Salt Mining & Exploration Co. Ltd, a privately owned company, is the only salt mine in Ireland, and one of only three salt mines in the UK.

Based at Kilroot, 3 miles northeast of Carrickfergus on the northern shore of Belfast Lough, the company produces around 500,000 tonnes of de-icing rock salt per annum.

The company has 59 full time employees, and also regularly employs outside contractors to assist in the operation throughout the year.

With over 50 years experience in supplying local road authorities and motorway maintenance contractors, Salt Sales Company (sales division of Irish Salt Mining) are able to meet the toughest demands during the harshest of winters.

Due to our unique location, salt is dispatched via our own deep water berth jetty. This enables us to ship directly into ports which are most convenient to customers’ depots, helping to reduce the road miles covered by HGV’s.

For the local market, hauliers are contracted to transport the salt by road in bulk tippers.

Irish Salt Mining also has strategically placed stockpiles at Glasgow, Ellesmere and Avonmouth.