mineral

Halite (Rock Salt)

Halite (Sodium Chloride, NaCl)

Hardness: 2-2.5 (Mohs), Color: Colorless, white, pink, or orange depending on impurities, Luster: Vitreous (glassy), Crystal Structure: Cubic/Isometric, Cleavage: Perfect cubic in three directions, Specific Gravity: 2.16

Hardness: 2-2

Identified March 28, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed by the evaporation of saline water in enclosed sedimentary basins or lakes (evaporites). Can be found in layered sedimentary beds ranging from millions of years old to modern salt flats.

Uses & applications

Primary source of table salt (sodium chloride), used extensively in food seasoning, de-icing roads in winter, chemical manufacturing (chlorine and caustic soda), and livestock feed.

Geological facts

Halite is the mineral name for common salt. The pinkish hue often seen in specimens like this is frequently caused by traces of iron oxides or trapped microorganisms within the crystal structure known as halobacteria.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its distinct cubic cleavage and salty taste (though tasting samples is generally discouraged due to potential contaminants). Commonly found in the Great Salt Lake (Utah), Dead Sea, and deep subterranean salt domes like those in Goderich, Ontario or the Salzkammergut in Austria.