Description
Halite, also called rock salt or rock salt, is a mineral, a halide. It consists of pure sodium chloride, which, like table salt, has the chemical composition NaCl. It has a cubic face-centered halite or rock salt structure with an edge of 564.02 pm. The space group is Fm3m. Halite is an important source for the extraction of sodium, often in the form of caustic soda or sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and of chlorine. This process forms the basis for a large branch of the chemical industry. NaCl is a highly soluble salt that can be formed by evaporation in desert conditions. Salt deposits are also found in the eastern Netherlands. The company AkzoNobel partly owes its existence to them.
