Halite

The mineral Halite is common rock salt.

Halite

Chemical name |  Sodium Chloride
Chemical formula |  NaCl
Identification
Colors |  Colorless, or tints of gray, yellow, red, blue
Crystal habit |  Usually a simple cube, rarely octahedral; faces are commonly cavernous and develop into hopper crystals
Crystal system |  Isometric
Cleavage |  Perfect, three directions at 90°
Fracture |  Conchoidal, Brittle
Hardness |  2-2 1/2
Luster |  Vitreous
Name origin |  From the Greek hals, meaning salt
Specific gravity |  2.16
Streak |  White

## Sources[edit]

* Chesterman, Charles W. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals, Alfred A. Knopf: New York (1987)

## Gallery[edit]

* Halite crystals

* Halite crystals