Geotourism sets forth as a gateway for learning about "La Comarca de la Sal" (Salt Kingdom) natural features, through guided tours around salt deposits which have turned La Pampa into the first salt producer in Argentina. Famous brands such as "Celusal" and "Dos Anclas" are responsible for its industrialization around the Jacinto Arauz´s neighbouring towns.

The geotourist offer aims at exploring both the elements as well as the geological processes involved, which is equivalent to reading an ancient and puzzling book. The strata and diverse landforms stand for pages from the past that unfold the history of the land while they serve as a guideline to enjoy nature to the full. You are invited to explore and live experiences as you participate in various interactive activities and organized tours guided by a geologist resident in the area of Jacinto Arauz. René Favaloro, who lived in this town taking his first professional steps as rural doctor, is the protagonist of a complementing cultural offer.

Nature appears to be the imposing scene as it spreads lavishly about La Pampa "Salinas". Long before the discovery of América, aborigines would seek for salt around "Salinas grandes", lagoon situated a few kilometers from Macachín. Many times throughout the year, wagons pulled by oxes searched around in convoy for salt. Expeditions to salt marshes during Vertiz Viceroyship (600 wagons, 12000 horses, 300 cooks, carpenters and drovers, 400 soldiers, 600 face workers) are enough to give an account of the extraordinary richness and production of this natural source.

Today, various are the salty spots that produce the mineral we daily share at meal times: La Pampa is the first sodium chloride producer in Argentina. The proximity between the "Colorada Grande", the "laguna larga", (also known as "Colorada Chica") and "Callaqueo" constitute what we call "Comarca de las Salinas" (salt & pampean forest kingdom), a singular region, located southeast of the province, bordered by Buenos Aires and Río Negro provinces.

The landscape is filled with a wavy flatland with depressions that stretch from west to east like fanned-out valleys. On the average, they are 100 km. long by 5 to 10 km. wide, with slopes 100m high, 40m below sea level.

Wind action has brought about significant sand deposits, making up picturesque sharp crest girdles. It is right here where "salinas" lie at the lowest levels of the land, giving shape to authentic, dead-end hydrographic pockets. It has been water evaporation what has caused salt crystals to layer on the depressions for centuries.

Going South, scenery is made up of both flat and rugged plateaus, sloping in the direction of the "Salinas".

"La comarca" vegetation is represented by the caldén forest, shrubs and pastureland. From November to March, depending on changes in temperature, salt harvest takes place. Both extraction as salt storing activities, which sometimes reach 15m high, are carried out by the companies involved.

Before and after harvest, the water mirror turns sharp pink and it is common to see flocks of flamingos around. Activity continues over these periods though, namely with salt washing & industrialization processes.

These are the features which stamp salt kingdom with a singular and rarely found sight.

Colorada grande (Big Colorada)

The salina "Colorada Grande" is located in Caleu Caleu Department. Provincial Highway Nº1 is the approach road to this site, at present pavimented up to the entrance to the camping site and one of the salt storage areas. 26km of sandy road leads then to another highly passable (depending on local rain average) storage area. The companies previously mentioned have a stabilizing plant in General San Martín, town located in Hucal Department, 40km. from the salina. The salina is comprised within a depressed area extending in the direction NW - SE, filling the scenery with gentle, continuous hillocks. This resource´s most outstanding brands at present are Industrias Química y Minera Timbó (Timbó Chemical and Mineral Industries-SA) and Valuveal S.A. The product extracted from the salt heaps goes through wash, shaking, drying & milling processes, thus deriving in varied sizes and later packing through paper bags, cardboard boxes or plastic salt shakers(cellars), all of which are subjected to a later thermocontractable & palleting film wrapping, suitable for transportation.

The salina exploitation process is carried out in periodic harvests, during which the mineral is stored in heaps and kept unusable for at least six months, in order to obtain sodium chloride purification, after which time it is transported to Gral. San Martín Plant.

The pictures show some harvest aspects at the salina "Colorada Grande".

Salitral Negro (Black Salt Marsh)

It is located in the Southeast of La Pampa province, in Caleu Caleu Department. The population centers affected by the activities in the salina are: La Adela (La Pampa) and Río Colorado ( Río Negro). The deposit is located 40 and 42km. respectively. Road communication is achieved through the national highways Nº152 and Nº22, both asphalted and a stretch of minor road leading West, starting from national highway Nº154.

Sodium chloride exploitation is carried out in the "salitral" located on a depression strengthened from East to West, 15m below sea level, which comprises lagoons or "salitrales" and is separated from other depressions to the north and south by a terraced, narrow, lengthened landform of plateaus, crowned with a calcareous layer.

Various are the companies which own mineral rights at this deposit. Among them are: Proinsal S.A.I y C, Compañía Industrial Progreso S.A., Industrias Químicas y Mineras Timbo S.A.

Proinsal has a treatment plant in Río Colorado.

Climate: The annual average rainfall is 400mm with shortcomings of rain of 300mm, conditioning local element for agriculture production. As for its distribution, the highest precipitations take place between October and March, due to clashing air masses coming from NE and SW. The winter and summer average temperatures are 7.7 ºC and 22ºC respectively, owing to a ridge of high temperature with south trending apex. Air masses coming from The Atlantic, temper the Salinas high temperature values in summer season. The mean relative humidity is 68% in winter, 54% in Spring, 47% and 61% in Autumn, with free-frost period of about 180 / 190 days.

Salt exploitation is performed in the open with appropriate equipment for sodium chloride extraction activity, namely salt combine harvesters with windlass, which cut the surface layer up to 2/3cm deep. This operation can be carried out two or three times on the same place in a season, depending on weather conditions. Then, the mineral is stored in heaps on the shore bordering the salitral. Harvest is compressed in the period that extends from November to end of March. Both salt transportation to the stockpile area and the plant is carried out by trucks.