Israel claims it owns the world’s longest salt cave south of the Dead Sea.

The Times of Israel newspaper reported on March 28 that the salt cave is more than 10km long, running beneath a giant block of salt at Mount Sodom. It was identified after a team of 80 international explorers successfully mapped Malcham cave.

The above discovery also means that Israel has usurped Iran to become the country that owns the longest salt cave in the world. Iran’s salt cave – 3N Cave – has a length of 6.5 m.

According to the Times of Israel, the Malcham salt cave was formed by winter floodwaters seeping into cracks in the surface rock covering Mount Sodom. The water then seeps into the salt rock, dissolving it, creating an “underground river” toward the Dead Sea. When the water receded, a cave was exposed in the path of the water.

Beautiful stalactites in Malcham cave. (Photo: Times of Israel)

Salt caves are a special type of cave, only formed under special conditions, especially in desert areas with large salt rocks created by evaporation of sea water and sediment.

Atacama Desert (Chile), Qeshm Island (Iran) and Dead Sea (Israel) are three areas famous for unique salt caves. Salt caves are also seen in Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan and Poland.

Scientists estimate the Malcham salt cave is about 7,000 years old. The beautiful stalactites in Malcham cave grow very quickly, up to 0.5 m/year. The cave is shaped with almost 100% fine salt (NaCl).

Malcham Cave is located south of the Dead Sea. (Photo: Times of Israel)

Although dirt penetrates Malcham during winter floods, the stalactites in the cave are still covered with a layer of white dust caused by salt from the water evaporating. Under the headlights, they sparkled like snow.