Blue Halite

Blue Halite, also known as blue rock salt, is an extremely rare variety of crystallized sodium chloride. It usually occurs in a cubic form but has also been found as masses, grains, and tiny shards. The galactic color spectrum Blue Halite offers is due to minor impurities of potassium within the salt’s chemical composition.

The name "halite" comes from the Greek word "hals," meaning "salt."

Formation and Occurrence

Blue halite is primarily found in evaporite deposits, formed from the evaporation of ancient saline lakes or seas. These deposits often contain other minerals, such as anhydrite, gypsum, and potash salts.

The largest deposit of Blue Halite is located in Saskatchewan, Canada, formed during the evaporation of a large ocean that existed around 400 million years ago. Other important localities include deposits in the southern United States, Pakistan, Germany, Spain, Iran, Romania, and the United Kingdom.

Well formed crystal of transparent, rare blue halite from new find. From: Intrepid Potash East Mine, Carlsbad, New Mexico, USA. Photo credit: Spirifer Minerals

Luster: Vitreous

Streak: White
Cleavage: Perfect, three directions cubic
Specific gravity: 2.17
Fracture: Conchoidal
Crystal system: Cubic/Isometric