Definition

1. Noun:
   • A naturally occurring mineral form of sodium chloride (NaCl), commonly known as rock salt: Halite is a clear or white crystalline mineral that is the primary source of table salt and is often found in sedimentary beds or domes.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The ancient sea evaporated, leaving behind vast deposits of halite.
  • Miners extract halite from deep underground mines for industrial and culinary use.
  • Under a microscope, the cubic crystal structure of halite is clearly visible.

Advanced Usage

• In geological contexts: Halite is a key mineral in evaporite sequences and is used to interpret past environmental conditions.
  • The presence of halite in the core sample indicates a period of extreme aridity in the region's history.

Variants and Related Words

• Rock salt: A common term for the coarse, often impure form of halite used for de-icing roads.
  • The city spread rock salt on the streets to melt the ice.
• Sodium chloride: The chemical name for the compound that constitutes halite.
• Evaporite: A type of sedimentary rock that forms from the evaporation of water, often containing halite, gypsum, and anhydrite.

Synonyms

• Rock salt
• Common salt (in its mineral form)

Related Phrases

• Halite deposit: A natural accumulation of halite.
  • The halite deposit in that region is one of the largest in the world.
• Halite crystal: A single, often cubic, crystal of the mineral.
  • The museum displayed a perfect, transparent halite crystal.

Noun

1. naturally occurring crystalline sodium chloride