Table of Contents
What can scratch halite?
On the Mohs Hardness Scale of 1 to 10, rock salt is a 2.5, which means it is a very soft mineral that is approximately the same hardness as your fingernail. You can scratch salt with a copper penny, pocketknife or steel file.
Which mineral is the easiest to scratch?
Talc
Talc is the softest and diamond is the hardest. Each mineral can scratch only those below it on the scale.
Why is halite used as a synonym for rock salt?
The ice forms an integral part of the structure of the mineral, and causes the mineral to be stable. – Rock Salt may be a synonym of the mineral Halite, but is also used referring to a rock composed of 95 to 99 percent Halite, containing impurities such as the minerals Anhydrite, Gypsum, Dolomite, Quartz, and Pyrite.
What are the different colors of halite crystals?
A few Halite specimens on the market are actually artificially grown crystals formed in this manner. Colorless, white, red, yellow, orange, pink, blue, violet, green, and gray. May also be multicolored with a solid and clear color such as blue and white. Crystals occur as cube s, sometimes distorted with hopper growths.
Where are the best places to find halite?
The cities of Detroit, Michigan, and Cleveland, Ohio, both have productive Halite mines directly beneath the city. Fine Halite crystals in above ground deposits are generally restricted to arid regions, usually dry lake s or saline lake s. The most important locality for collector specimens is Trona and Searles Lake, San Bernardino Co., California.
How is halite salt extracted from the ground?
Underground Halite deposits are often mined by drilling wells into the salt layer, and bringing in hot water which quickly dissolves the salt into a brine. The brine is saturated with dissolved salt and is then pumped out. The brine evaporates and the remainder salt crystallizes and is harvested.