Abstract: A process for reducing the salinity of salt containing material (SCM) includes introducing the SCM into a wash system configured to sequentially wash the SCM with water having decreasing salinity levels across a plurality of mixing tanks arranged in series; introducing feed water into the wash system in a countercurrent flow relative to the SCM; discharging washed SCM from the wash system, the washed SCM having a lower salinity compared to the SCM that is initially introduced into the wash system; and discharging brine from the wash system, the brine being generated in a mixing tank that initially receives the SCM into the wash system.