Mineral Presentation

Vivian Hu

Halite ['hælaɪt]

• Halite is the mineral form of sodium chloride (NaCl), which is commonly known as rock salt, from melting ice.

• Typical halite is often colorless to yellow, but there’s other colors as well, such as light or dark blue. It is depending on the amount and types of impurities.

• Hardness: 2-2.5• Luster: greasy or vitreous• Streak: white• Magnetism: no• Taste: salty• Solubility: 35.7%(0 ) ℃

39.8%(100 )℃• Cleavage: in three

directions at right angles.• Effervescence: no

Formation• It occurs in vast beds of sedimentary

evaporite minerals, which form by the drying up enclosed lakes and seas. Salt beds are often hundreds of meters deep.

Usage• After processing, it becomes salt, which is the

basic condiment in the kitchen. In addition, halite salt can be used to make ice-creams. Actually, it’s not contained in the mixture of ice-creams we eat. It’s used to melt the ice surrounding the can holding the ice-cream, and cause the ice melt at a lower temperature, in order to quicken the freezing process.

Reference• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halite• http://haliterocksalt.com/• http://baike.baidu.com/view/71790.htm?

fr=aladdin#5• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

File:Rock_salt_Mississippi_Potash_East_Mine,_New_Mexico.jpg

Thank you!