Editing Halite (section)

== Uses ==
Salt is used extensively in cooking as a flavor enhancer, and to [[Curing (food preservation)|cure]] a wide variety of foods such as [[bacon]] and [[salted fish|fish]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Salted: A Manifesto on the World's Most Essential Mineral, With Recipes |last=Bitterman |first=Mark |year=2010 |publisher=Ten Speed Press |isbn=978-1-58008-262-4 |pages=267–270}}</ref> It is frequently used in food preservation methods across various cultures. Larger pieces can be ground in a [[Burr mill|salt mill]] or dusted over food from a shaker as finishing salt.

Halite is also often used both residentially and municipally for managing ice. Because [[brine]] (a solution of water and salt) has a lower freezing point than pure water, putting salt or saltwater on ice that is below {{convert|0|°C|°F}} will cause it to melt—this effect is called [[freezing-point depression]]. It is common for homeowners in cold climates to spread salt on their sidewalks and driveways after a [[snow storm]] to melt the ice. It is not necessary to use so much salt that the ice is completely melted; rather, a small amount of salt will weaken the ice so that it can be easily removed by other means. Also, many cities will spread a mixture of sand and salt [[Road salt|on roads]] during and after a snowstorm to improve traction. Using [[salt brine]] is more effective than spreading dry salt because moisture is necessary for the freezing-point depression to work and wet salt sticks to the roads better. Otherwise the salt can be wiped away by traffic.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://trid.trb.org/view/461997|title=Pre-wetting With Salt Brine|isbn=978-0965231008|date=1996|publisher=Center for Transportation Research and Education |access-date=2019-04-10|archive-date=2020-09-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200913051032/https://trid.trb.org/view/461997|url-status=live}}</ref>

In addition to de-icing, rock salt is occasionally used in agriculture. An example of this would be inducing salt stress to suppress the growth of annual meadow grass in turf production. Other examples involve exposing weeds to salt water to dehydrate and kill them preventing them from affecting other plants. Salt is also used as a household cleaning product. Its coarse nature allows for its use in various cleaning scenarios including grease/oil removal, stain removal, dries out and hardens sticky spills for an easier clean.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}}

Some cultures, especially in Africa and Brazil, prefer a wide variety of different rock salts for different dishes. Pure salt is avoided as particular colors of salt indicates the presence of different impurities. Many recipes call for particular kinds of rock salt, and imported pure salt often has impurities added to adapt to local tastes.<ref>{{cite book |title=Salt: A World History|url=https://archive.org/details/saltworldhistory00kurl|url-access=registration|last=Kurlansky |first=Mark |year=2003|publisher=Thorndike Press |isbn=9780786243891 }}</ref> [[History of salt|Historically]], salt was used as a form of currency in barter systems and was exclusively controlled by authorities and their appointees. In some ancient civilizations the practice of [[salting the earth]] was done to make conquered land of an enemy infertile and inhospitable as an act of domination or spite. One biblical reference to this practice is in [[Judge (Bible)|Judges 9:45]]: "he killed the people in it, pulled the wall down and sowed the site with salt."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://biblehub.com/judges/9-45.htm|title=Bible: Judges 9:45|website=Bible Hub|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030021559/https://biblehub.com/judges/9-45.htm|archive-date=October 30, 2018|access-date=November 26, 2019}}</ref>

[[Polyhalite]], a mineral fertilizer, is not an NaCl-polymer, but hydrated sulfate of potassium, calcium and magnesium (K<sub>2</sub>Ca<sub>2</sub>Mg-[[sulfate]]).

[[Shotgun shell]]s containing rock salt (instead of metal pellets) are a ''less lethal'' deterrent.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ammoman.com/blog/rock-salt-shotgun-shells/ | title=Less Lethal Loadout: Rock Salt Shotgun Shells | date=15 September 2020 }}</ref>