The Great Salt Lake is worth a lot of money! In fact, did you know that it brings over $100 million to Utah each year? It also helps create jobs for people too.

Companies get lots of minerals from the Great Salt Lake. The main one is salt, of course. Five companies get salt from the Great Salt Lake. Click here to find out more about that. One of the main things that salt is used for from the Great Salt Lake is to help keep ice off roads in winter. Potash from is used to help make fertilizer to help grow plants like grass. Magnesium from the lake is used to help make metals stronger in many kinds of things. Chlorine is used to help make swimming pool water cleaner and chlorine gas is made too. Other chemicals from the lake are used to make things like paper, detergent, and many other kinds of products.

Brine shrimp boats go out to get brine shrimp and their eggs. This brings about $30 million to Utah each year. The brine shrimp eggs are hatched and used to feed pet fish and shrimp, lobsters, and crabs that we eat. Most of the brine shrimp used this way in the whole world are caught at the Great Salt Lake. To find out more about brine shrimp, go here.

Many people travel to see the Great Salt Lake, over 1 million people each year. Many come from outside of Utah. People hike, bike, and swim. Hunters have paid money that has helped make places for birds to live. People come to see the birds a lot too. They also spend money in Utah when they buy their stuff. Visit Floyd's Recreation Guide to see how people use the Great Salt Lake for fun things. There is a boat which takes around people who want to see the lake too.

The railroad is also very important Many things like wheat, cars, fruit, machines, and so on, are carried on the trains that cross on the train bridge across the Great Salt Lake.

There are other ways that the Great Salt Lake is used. It makes a lot of money for Utah so we should help it. Don't tell anyone, but next year I'm going to go on a brine shrimp boat and become a captain!

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