mineral
Pink Himalayan Salt Rock
Halite (NaCl with trace iron oxide minerals)
Hardness: 2.5 on Mohs scale; Color: Pink to orange-peach; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Isometric/Cubic; Cleavage: Perfect cubic; Specific Gravity: 2.17
- Hardness
- 2
- Color
- Pink to orange-peach
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 2.5 on Mohs scale; Color: Pink to orange-peach; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Isometric/Cubic; Cleavage: Perfect cubic; Specific Gravity: 2.17
Formation & geological history
Formed through the evaporation of ancient sea beds during the Permian to Triassic periods, around 250 million years ago, in the Punjab region of Pakistan near the Himalayas.
Uses & applications
Used for culinary salt, salt lamps, decorative carvings, spa treatments, livestock salt licks, and mineral specimen collections.
Geological facts
The characteristic pink hue is caused by tiny amounts of iron oxide (rust) and trace minerals embedded within the rock salt crystals.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its salty taste, soft Mohs hardness (can be scratched by a copper coin or fingernail), and solubility in water. Primarily mined in the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan.
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Mineral/Rock