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"Halite" Mineral
Salt is the mineral halite or rock salt. The mineral has the chemical composition of sodium chloride, or NaCl. Salt is a very soft mineral that forms as single or intertwined cubes. Most salt crystals are white in color but can also be clear, yellow, pink, red, blue and purple. Salt crystals have cubic cleavage, which means that it retains its cubic shape even when broken into smaller sizes.
Salt Bed Formation
Salt forms in beds from the evaporation of seawater. As water evaporates from an enclosed water body, the dissolved salt then precipitates into crystals on the land surface. Areas such as salt-water lakes that were cut off from the ocean are common settings for the formation of salt crystals. Geologists call salt an evaporite mineral because salt forms from the evaporation of salt-rich water. Most beds of salt form as interwoven masses of crystals.
Salt Dome Formation
Over time, new sediment and rock layers will form on top of a salt bed. Salt is very ductile and light weight. Most rocks that surround salt bed layers are heavier than salt. When the surrounding rock forms a crack in a weak area of the material, the ductile salt will begin to rise through the crack. Salt typically forms a dome or arched shape below ground. Salt domes are commonly associated with areas of petroleum deposits such as the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. Significant deposits of salt beds and domes are located worldwide.
Uses of Salt
Salt has many uses in the food and chemical industries. People use salt as a seasoning when cooking or as a preservative for food storage. Salt is also an important component in tanning of animal hides and as a salt lick for cows. The chemical industry uses salt for its sodium and chloride content. The manufacturing of many chemicals, soaps and ceramic glazes depends on sodium or chlorine. The properties of salt also make it an effective de-icing tool for frozen roadways during the winter.