The Inagua islands are abundant in the natural resources of salt, limestone, and gypsum. Above all salt is of the primary historical cultural, and economical resource on the island.

In the early 1800s, Bermudians from the Turks and Caicos Islands migrated to the islands in search of salt. The salt that they found was then harvested in shallow lakes and sold to passing ships. In 1848 the Bahamian economy was in desperate need of an alternative salt supply when the Turks and Caicos Islands ceded. In 1849, the Henagua Salt Pond Company, the first corporation in The Bahamas, was formed to develop the salt industry. Salt harvested in salt pans was transported by donkey-cart and stored in a large salt house conveniently located on the waterfront in downtown Mathew Town, the primary settlement on Great Inagua. Subsequently, this inelastic product was distributed to various markets of the world.

In 1865 Inagua Tramway and Salt Company constructed a tramway on Crown land, cultivated salt, and exported it to the United States. Thus, the American government's protective tariff and declining prices made it economically impossible for the company to continue operating. Therefore, it was dissolved. However, ships still passed through on the Windward Passage and provided a trading station between the people if Inagua and the passing ships.

With the First World War, the economy again was dealt with a major blow. Ships stopped coming to the island and eliminated migrant worker activity. It was not until 1936 that prosperity would return to Inagua with Jim M. Erickson. Erickson and his two brothers came from New England to revive the salt industry. The salt industry was expanded by using both manual as well as merchandised methods.

Today, theisland is home to Morton Salt Company, which encompasses more than 34,000 acres, produces over one million tons of salt annually, making it the second largest saline operation in this part of the world. Miles of dazzling salt beds stretch towards the horizon, creating this brilliant world, desolate and impressive. and is the primary employer on the island. There are tours offered of the salt making process and the salt ponds, located near Matthew Town.