MORE PICTURES WILL BE COMING SOON.
A rather large octahedral
crystal of Sulfohalite still coated in mud from Trona, CA
This is the same crystal
after cleaning.
A cluster of
octahedral Sulfohalite crystals from Trona, CA
CHEMISTRY - Na6ClF(SO4)2
CRYSTALLOGRAPHY - Isometric
CRYSTAL GROWTH AND HABITS - Sulfohalite commonly forms octahedral or dodecahedral crystals.
COLOR AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES - Colorless to slightly greenish yellow to gray. Transparent to translucent.
HARDNESS - 3.5
SPECIFIC GRAVITY - 2.50
LUSTER - Vitreous to sub vitreous and waxy
STREAK - WHite
BREAKABILITY - Conchoidal fracture, brittle
OTHER - Sulfohalite is slowly soluble in cold water.
OCCURRENCE - Sulfohalite is a mineral formed by the evaporation of saline brines. It is found in playa lake sediments.
ASSOCIATED MINERALS - Hanksite, Halite, Trona, Pirssonite
MINERAL NAME - It was named for it composition of sulfur in halite before fluorine was recognized in its structure.