Namakdan

Namakdan, meaning "salt mountain" in Persian, is the name given to a salt‑dominated geological feature in the Middle East. The most well‑known Namakdan is Namakdan Mountain, located on Qeshm Island in Hormozgan Province, Iran, though the name is used for similar evaporitic hills in adjacent coastal areas.

Geologically, Namakdan Mountain consists largely of evaporitic salts, chiefly halite, formed by the evaporation of saline waters in ancient seas. Tectonic forces and differential erosion have sculpted the hill into a rugged formation with exposed white salt outcrops and layered sedimentary rocks. Such features make it a reference site for studies of evaporite deposits and salt tectonics.

Namakdan Cave lies within the mountain system. It is a network of passages and chambers carved by salt dissolution and groundwater movement, with chambers that show glistening salt crystals and varied mineral hues. The cave has attracted speleologists and geologists, and is studied for its mineralogy and for any biological communities that can tolerate high salinity.

Access to Namakdan Mountain and its cave is typically managed by local authorities to protect delicate formations and biodiversity. The site is a point of interest for geotourism, scientific research, and regional cultural knowledge.