Halite
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:LBM1948" title="User:LBM1948">LBM1948</a> (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Mineral NameHalite
Chemical FormulaNaCl
Mohs Hardness2.5
Crystal Systemcubic
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavageperfect cubic (three directions at 90 degrees)
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity2.16
Colorswhite, colorless, grey
Transparencytransparent
Type LocalityBadwater Salt Flats, Death Valley National Park, California, USA
Mineral GroupHalides
Usesfood additive, de-icing agent, chemical industry, water softening, animal feed
Associated Mineralsgypsum, anhydrite, sylvite
Raritycommon
Description
The image displays a close-up of white to light grey crystalline salt formations, showing a crust of cubic or blocky crystals on a salt flat surface.
Geological Context
Halite forms as an evaporite mineral in arid environments where saline water bodies, such as playa lakes or seas, evaporate, precipitating dissolved salts. It is a primary component of salt flats and ancient marine evaporite deposits.
