Salt

Salt has existed on Earth for millions upon millions of years. Found throughout the vast oceans of the world it can be harvested by allowing shallow ocean waters to be evaporated and the salt collected. Found in the Himalayas and the Alps as whole regions in both was below the sea a billion or more years ago, eventually rising due to tectonic plates shifted and trapping the salt within these mountain ranges.

There they are minded in places like the mountains outside of Salzburg. Fetching a good price if the purity is high and low if not, it can be used as a trade good or even as payment. The Roman Empire used it as part payment for their armies giving rise to the term Salary for this portion of pay.

Most cultures value it as a resource for storing meat drying food for long storage and transport as well as a flavouring. The higher the status of the person the purer the salt.

It is consumed by many species, including animals making use of 'salt licks' where the animals will lick it up from the ground to get this into their bodies.

Used in the body to regulate the nerves in the nervous system along with potassium to create a bioelectric charge up the nerve cells. Also it is used to a degree by the body to balance the fluid levels of the circulatory system, namely the blood. Too much or too little can be deadly in the long run though leading to these systems being knocked out of whack and causing long term damage if not outright death.

Alchemists and other professions use it too, namely dyers , butchers and leather workers to dry out goods for different reasons or to use in certain alchemical processes such as fixing colours into cloth for example.

It has been noted that areas that have had it heavily dumped on will stop plants growing for months or years. This has led to it being used in times of war to prevent the enemy of one side being able to produce crops or feed for animals, starving the enemy into submission.

Very Significant. Salt is essential for life and it's abundance is thoroughly noted by many. It is just the extraction of it that leads many to take up the professions of mining it in some way.