Description: Mineral name for natural salt (also called rocksalt), occurs both as evaporite deposits in saline lakes and watercourses, or as bedded sedimentary deposits, or as salt domes. Easily dissolves in water, has a salty taste (don’t, think about all the others . . .). Halite is used as winter road treatment, a source of sodium and chlorine for chemical processes, food preservation, and seasoning.
Chemical Formula: NaCl
Crystal Form: Predominantly cubes and in massive sedimentary beds, but also granular, fibrous and compact.
Crystal System: Isometric
Color: Colorless or white
Streak: White
Luster: Vitreous
Fracture: Conchoidal
Cleavage: Three directions (cubic)
Hardness: 2.0 - 2.5 on Moh's scale
Density/Specific Gravity: 2.17 g/cm3
Magnetism: N/A
Taste: Salty (please do not taste lab specimens directly)
Hydrochloric acid: N/A
Radioactivity: N/A
Fluorescence: N/A
Distinguishing Physical Properties:
Cleavage: cubic cleavage (3)
Taste: salty (The taste test is discouraged. Some minerals are toxic or contaminated by other people tasting them.)
Other: solubility
Photograph Attribution: Halite specimen photograph by Sean C. Murphy, 2020.