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Halite

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Neuhof-Ellers Potash Works, Neuhof, Fulda, Hesse, Germany
© 2005 - S.Menig

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Formula:
NaCl
System:IsometricColour:Colourless, whitish, ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:2½
Name:From the Greek άλς, sea, for halites, later modified by J.D. Dana to halite.


Halite Group

Natural Salt. Occurs both as evaporite deposits in saline lakes and water courses, or as bedded sedimentary deposits, or as salt domes.

Classification of Halite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/A.02-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.AA.20

3 : HALIDES
A : Simple halides, without H2O
A : M:X = 1:1, 2:3, 3:5, etc.
Dana 8th edition ID:9.1.1.1

9 : NORMAL HALIDES
1 : AX
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.1.3

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
1 : Halides of the alkali metals and ammonium
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Occurrences of Halite

Geological Setting:Sedimentary evaporite deposits

Physical Properties of Halite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Colourless, whitish, yellow, red, purple or blue
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):2½
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Perfect
On {001}
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):2.168 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.165 g/cm3

Crystallography of Halite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:Fm3m (F4/m 3 2/m)
Cell Parameters:a = 5.6404(1) Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 179.44 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Normally cubic, rarely octahedral. Crystal faces often cavernous and stepped (hopper crystals). Massive. Coarsely granular to compact; columnar, stalactitic or capillary forms rare.
Twinning:On {111} (artificial crystals).
Crystal Atlas:
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Halite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

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Structure
  Reference
Wyckoff R W G (1963) Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York rocksalt structure. Crystal Structures 1:85-237.

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Optical Data of Halite

Type:Isotropic
RI values: n = 1.5443
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.000 - Isotropic minerals have no birefringence
Surface Relief:Low
Dispersion:Moderately strong
Pleochroism:Weak
Comments:The pleochroism id sometimes developed in coloured material after being subjected to pressure.
Comments:Weakly anisotropic due to stress.

Chemical Properties of Halite

Formula:
NaCl
Essential elements:Cl, Na
All elements listed in formula:Cl, Na
Common Impurities:I,Br,Fe,O

Relationship of Halite to other Species

Common Associates:
GypsumAnhydriteClayPolyhaliteSylvite
KieseriteKainiteCarnallite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
3.AA.05Marshite
CuI
3.AA.05Miersite
(Ag,Cu)I
3.AA.05Nantokite
CuCl
3.AA.10Iodargyrite
AgI
3.AA.10Tocornalite
(Ag,Hg)I
3.AA.15Bromargyrite
AgBr
3.AA.15Chlorargyrite
AgCl
3.AA.20Carobbiite
KF
3.AA.20Griceite
LiF
3.AA.20Sylvite
KCl
3.AA.20Villiaumite
NaF
3.AA.25Salammoniac
NH
 
4
Cl
3.AA.25Lafossaite
Tl(Cl,Br)
3.AA.30Calomel
Hg
 
2
Cl
 
2
3.AA.30Kuzminite
Hg
 
2
(Br,Cl)
 
2
3.AA.30Moschelite
Hg
 
2
I
 
2
3.AA.35Neighborite
NaMgF
 
3
3.AA.40Chlorocalcite
KCaCl
 
3
3.AA.45Kolarite
PbTeCl
 
2
3.AA.50Radhakrishnaite
PbTe
 
3
(Cl,S)
 
2
3.AA.55Challacolloite
KPb
 
2
Cl
 
5
3.AA.55Hephaistosite
TlPb
 
2
Cl
 
5
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
8.1.1Griceite
LiF
8.1.2Villiaumite
NaF
8.1.4Hydrohalite
NaCl·2H
 
2
O
8.1.5Carobbiite
KF
8.1.6Sylvite
KCl
8.1.7Salammoniac
NH
 
4
Cl

Other Names for Halite

Synonyms:
Common Saltβ-HaliteHalitesMartinsite (of Karsten)Muriate of Soda
NatrikaliteRock SaltSaltSaltspar
French names:
Chlorure de sodiumSal MareSel gemmeSoude muriatée
German names:
HalitAlitBergsalzb-HalitKnistersalz
KochsalzSteinsalz
Italian names:
AliteSalgemma
Japanese names:
岩塩
Polish names:
Halit
Russian names:
Галит
Spanish names:
AlitaHalitaSal gemaSal marina
Varieties:
Huantajayite

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:Red (SW UV)[Searles Lake, CA].
Thermal Behaviour:Melts at 804°.
Health Warning:Licking or ingesting raw halite in the "wild" could cause health problems due to unidentified admixed substances (such as alkaline compounds).
Industrial Uses:Edible salt, chlorine production

References for Halite

Reference List:Karsten (1845), Journal für praktische Chemie, Leipzig: 36: 127 (as Martinsite).

Adam, M. (1869) Tableau minéralogique, Paris (as Natrikalite).

Dana (1868), System of Mineralogy, 5th. ed.: 112.

Exner (1873), Härte an Krystallflächen, Wien.

Raimondi (1876), in: Domeyko, Min. Chili, 5th. Appendix (as Huantajayite).

Cesàro (1888), Société géologique de Belgique, Liége, Memoir: 15: 204.

Brauns (1889), Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, Heidelberg, Stuttgart: 1: 113.

Bragg (1914), Royal Society of London, Proceedings: 9A: 468.

Straumanis and Ievins (1914) Zeitschrift für Physik, Brunswick, Berlin: 109: 468.

Tertsch (1932), Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 81: 264.

Paniche (1933), Periodico de Mineralogia-Roma: 4: 25 (as β-halite).

Murzaev (1941), Ac.sc. Leningrad Comptes rendus (Doklady): 33: 306 (as Saltspar).

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Seventh edition, Volume II: 4-7.

Panichi U. – (1933) Sul dimorfismo del salgemma e della silvite. Periodico di Mineralogia – Roma pp. 25-33.

Hunt, G.R., J.W. Salisbury, and C.J. Lenhoff (1972), Visible and near-infrared spectra of minerals and rocks: V. Halides, phosphates, arsenates, vanadates and borates. Modern Geology, v. 3, p. 121-132.

Basso R., Della Giusta A., Isetti G. (1977) - Anomalie ottiche in cristalli di salgemma. Periodico di mineralogia – Roma, pp. 91-98.

Janz, G.J. (1980) Molten-salts data as reference-standards for density, surface-tension viscosity and electrical conductance - KNO3 and NaCl. Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data: 9: 791-829.

Internet Links for Halite

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    Localities for Halite

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