(Newswire.net — April 14, 2022) — Rock salt is a natural mineral that is used in various industries and our lives. It mainly consists of sodium chloride, although its composition may vary depending on the deposits. Another name for rock salt is halite. Initially, it represents salty stones that are found in ancient reservoirs and rocky layers of the earth’s crust.
Rock salt deposits began to form many years ago. This happened in a hot climate during sedimentary processes. This process is associated with the drying up of various water bodies, such as salt lakes or small sea bays. Another way of forming this substance is associated with the work of volcanoes. The thing is that during volcanic activity, soil salinization occurs, as a result of which rock salt is formed, most often in arid regions. This process is of two types:
Natural. Firstly, it can occur during various floods and tsunamis – in this case, the soil is salted from above, as huge volumes of seawater penetrate it and reach the lower layers. After some time, this water evaporates and salt deposits appear on the surface of the soil. Another variant of the development of events is the salinization of soils from below by groundwater. Here the scheme is very similar. Water evaporates and salt appears on the surface.
Anthropogenic, that is, as a result of human activity. If in areas with an arid climate, the amount of water that evaporates from the lower soil layers exceeds the amount of water that gets there, then a person can salinize the soil in case of frequent watering, as it is mineralized. The thing is that the more liquid enters the soil, the more it will evaporate, so the minerals will rise to the surface and form a salt crust. Where this happens, no plants or herbs will grow.
Rock salt is mined in special mines. After that, it will be processed and then it is ready for use in a huge number of different areas. Halite consists of sodium and chlorine in a percentage ratio of 40 to 60. It also differs in origin. Rock salt can be:
- Halite lies in huge volumes and is located between various rocks.
- Self-planting. It forms at the bottom of water bodies and is deposited in the form of salt crusts on the surface of the earth.
- Volcanic salt. It is formed as a result of chemical reactions associated with volcanic activity and is found in craters.
- Salt marshes. This phenomenon is a solar crust on the surface of the earth, which prevents the appearance of any life.
In addition to sodium and chlorine, halite can contain a fairly large amount of other minerals in its composition. These minerals determine what the final color of the salt will be. It may be:
- Red or yellow, if it contains iron.
- Gray if contains some clay impurities.
- Dark colors if it contains decomposed organic matter.
- Blue if it contains potassium chloride.
However, halite itself in its pure form is colorless, transparent, opaque, or shiny. But pure rock salt is very difficult to find in nature, so most often it has some shade of the above. In addition, this mineral has certain properties. It is brittle and melts only at high temperatures while being easily soluble in water.
Let’s see where rock salt is used and in which industries it is used:
1. Medicine and wellness
It never hurts to buy bags of rock salt and keep it at home, and here’s why: Halite, when consumed, can reduce the risk of low sodium levels in the body. A low amount of sodium in a person can cause insomnia, problems with stability and attention, psychological problems, and even seizures. In the worst cases, low sodium levels can be fatal. Halite at the same time can protect you from this unpleasant latter. This property of this mineral has been confirmed by several studies, so there is documented evidence of its benefits in this area. This means that a couple of rock salt bags around the house can always come in handy. Rock salt is also used to treat sore throats. In fact, since ancient times, people gargled with water with halite, which made it possible to reduce or completely get rid of unpleasant pain in the throat. In this regard, studies have also been carried out that have confirmed the positive effect of this mineral. In addition, if you gargle with rock salt, you can protect yourself from many infections. Halite is also used for:
- Relieve muscle spasms. They occur due to the wrong amount of electrolytes in the human body. Without this element, the muscles will not be able to work properly. Rock salt just contains electrolytes and thanks to this, it can replenish their balance. However, there is no official confirmation of this property of halite yet.
- Halite can help fight heartburn, stomach pain, and vomiting. For treatment, it is added to food. However, there is no official confirmation of the effective impact of rock salt in this context.
- Rock salt helps fight skin problems. It is sometimes used to combat dermatitis, dry skin, and skin redness.
2. One of the largest areas of application of halite is the fight against ice on roads and sidewalks. For this purpose, different compositions and analogs of this mineral can be used, which differ in their characteristics. For example, calcium chloride products and magnesium chloride products are best suited for cold climates because they have active ingredients that work at very low temperatures. In the same sodium chloride products are the most popular in this area, but are used in temperate areas.
3. Rock salt is used in the chemical industry
In this area, halite is needed for the production of hydrochloric acid, chlorine, sodium hydroxide, and many other compounds. These compounds, in turn, are involved in the production of glass, toothpaste, certain drugs, paper, and other highly sought-after items. Therefore, in the chemical industry, salt plays a very important role and for this purpose, it is purchased from bulk rock salt suppliers.
4. Halite is used as a preservative
Even today, a huge number of people buy bags of rock salt and use it to preserve food for a long time. This is because it is a very cheap and at the same time very effective preservative, so for the time being there is no point in looking for some kind of replacement for it in this area.
5. Halite is used at home for cooking
However, it is only safe when not processed. In this case, rock salt is a really useful mineral that will be an indispensable assistant in cooking.
Rock salt is an incredibly sought-after material throughout the world in a huge number of industrial areas and just in everyday life. It has many positive properties and is beneficial for human health. Today, almost no one can do without this mineral.