Rock Salt has been mined for thousands of years.
Rock salt is a sedimentary rock formed from the evaporation of sea water. It is often found along gypsum beds. The geological name for the mineral is halite, which is derived from the Greek "halos" meaning "salt" and "lithos" meaning "rock." Salt has been used for preserving food for thousands of years. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Occurrence
Beds of rock salt can be more than 1,000 feet thick and cover as much as 100,000 square miles. Outcrops of the mineral that are relatively recently formed can often be found in desert environments. The mineral can be found in many inland locations that once harbored a sea or ocean, examples being in Utah, Siberia, Pakistan, Poland, Hawaii and Australia.
Composition
The main ingredient of rock salt is sodium chloride, though it often occurs with some impurities, usually salts of calcium or magnesium. Pure rock salt is white, though impurities can render it gray, yellow, orange, red, blue, violet or pink. It is extremely soluble in water, and is also hygroscopic, absorbing water molecules from the surrounding air. For this reason, rock salt should always be stored in airtight containers.
Crystal lattice
Sodium chloride, the main chemical component of rock salt, has a crystal lattice composed of alternating ions of sodium and chlorine that are linked to each other at right angles. This gives the sodium chloride crystal, whatever the size, an isometric shape that is usually a perfect cube. The mineral has a salty taste and a slippery feel to it. When scratched, the abrasion always appears white. The mineral may fluoresce when exposed to ultraviolet light. It has a hardness of 2 to 2 ½ on the Mohs scale and a specific gravity of 2.16.
Uses
Salt has been a valuable commodity and staple food item for thousands of years, augmenting the flavor of breads, vegetables, meats and even fruits. Its hygroscopic properties make it an important for pickling and preserving, preventing the growth of bacteria, adding flavor, controlling fermentation in cheese production and pickling, adding to the texture of breads by allowing gluten to hold more water and carbon dioxide, and adding to the color of bread crusts and processed meats such as bacon and ham.
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