Mineral description : Halite

Massive halite from Poland.
Size 5x2.5x2.5 cm. Halite crystal from Poland.
Size 5x3x3 cm.
Halite crystal with blue coloration from Italy.
Size 5x3x3 cm. Halite crystal with purple coloration from Italy.
Size 4x4x3 cm.

Mineral class Halogenides : Halite - Sylvite group

Chemical formula NaCl

Crystal system Cubic

Habitus

Cleavage Perfect cubic, fracture uneven to conchoidal.

Hardness 2

Density 2.1 - 2.2

Color Colorless, yellow, orange, reddish, purple, blue or black.

Streak White.

Luster Vitreous, transparent to translucent.

Description Halite is the same thing as the common tablesalt. It is very common in arid parts of the world. It forms when parts of the oceans is cut of and dries out (as the Mediterranean Sea once did) or in seas without outlets (for example The Dead Sea).
Thanks to our humid climate in Scandinavia, halite is very rare here and only found in special circumstances.

Occurance Forms in evaporites, salty water evaporate and leavs the minerals behind. If the evaporite is covered with sediments it could be protected against solution when the water returns.

Associates Gypsum, Sylvite.

Notes Salt taste. Soluble in cold water. When a water solution dries out, small cubic twinned crystals are formed.
Feels greasy when handled.
Colors a flame yellow.
Small impurities give rise to green, orange or reddish fluorescence.
Since it is so light it could create giant salt domes that rises as drops from deeper layers of rock. These domes often contains oil and gas that became trapped in the bubble.

Localities A rare mineral in Scandinavia.
Sweden :

Only found during drilling in deep buried sediments in Skåne.

Norway :

Bekkarfjordnes, Seiland. In a drill core from a nephelinesyenite pegmatite.
Microscopic in fluid inclusions, mainly in quartz.

Finland : (Sorry if the names are messed up, but I don't speak Finnish)

Eurajoe. In fluids trapped by quartz in greissen.
Kännätsalo, Luumäen. In fluids trapped by quartz.
Pyterlahdi, Virolahdi. In fluids trapped by quartz in rapakivi granite.

To halogenides index.
Mineral group index.
Main index.

If you have some questions, suggestions or comments you are welcome to write me a line or two.

axelsson@acc.umu.se

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Last changed : 2001-07-12

Massive halite from Poland. Size 5x2.5x2.5 cm.	Halite crystal from Poland. Size 5x3x3 cm.
Halite crystal with blue coloration from Italy. Size 5x3x3 cm.	Halite crystal with purple coloration from Italy. Size 4x4x3 cm.

Mineral class	Halogenides : Halite - Sylvite group
Chemical formula	NaCl
Crystal system	Cubic
Habitus
Cleavage	Perfect cubic, fracture uneven to conchoidal.
Hardness	2
Density	2.1 - 2.2
Color	Colorless, yellow, orange, reddish, purple, blue or black.
Streak	White.
Luster	Vitreous, transparent to translucent.
Description	Halite is the same thing as the common tablesalt. It is very common in arid parts of the world. It forms when parts of the oceans is cut of and dries out (as the Mediterranean Sea once did) or in seas without outlets (for example The Dead Sea). Thanks to our humid climate in Scandinavia, halite is very rare here and only found in special circumstances.
Occurance	Forms in evaporites, salty water evaporate and leavs the minerals behind. If the evaporite is covered with sediments it could be protected against solution when the water returns.
Associates	Gypsum, Sylvite.
Notes	Salt taste. Soluble in cold water. When a water solution dries out, small cubic twinned crystals are formed. Feels greasy when handled. Colors a flame yellow. Small impurities give rise to green, orange or reddish fluorescence. Since it is so light it could create giant salt domes that rises as drops from deeper layers of rock. These domes often contains oil and gas that became trapped in the bubble.
Localities	A rare mineral in Scandinavia. Sweden : Only found during drilling in deep buried sediments in Skåne. Norway : Bekkarfjordnes, Seiland. In a drill core from a nephelinesyenite pegmatite. Microscopic in fluid inclusions, mainly in quartz. Finland : (Sorry if the names are messed up, but I don't speak Finnish) Eurajoe. In fluids trapped by quartz in greissen. Kännätsalo, Luumäen. In fluids trapped by quartz. Pyterlahdi, Virolahdi. In fluids trapped by quartz in rapakivi granite.