It is very rich in mineral and saline deposits, however.

Mr. Forbes attributes the formation of the saline deposits to lagoons of salt water, the communication of which with the sea has been cut off by the rising of the land (loc.

These include surface and soil waters containing cations released during bedrock weathering which have subsequently been concentrated by evaporation, precipitation with a high salt content (especially in regions near coasts), saline ground waters and saline deposits blown inland from the coast or originating in inland saline basins.