Salt (NaCI, sodium chloride, or halite) is a necessity to most living organisms on Earth. Humans and other animals need salt to live, and thus have always valued salt licks, springs, and marshes to satisfy the natural craving for salt. For humans through the centuries, it has been used to preserve meats, especially in hot climates.
Pure halite is clear and colorless, though it is often tinged by impurities. The mineral is soft, and crystals are cubic in shape. Salt is readily soluble in water, making it useful for cooking, food preservation, and chemical production.
