The geological time scale is vast and long. Rocks and minerals often take millions of years to form. This week's episode of Mineral Monday, however, looks at a mineral that moves much faster than that: halite! The College of Science weekly video series, Mineral Monday, explores the many minerals, fossils and historical objects on display at the W.M. Keck Earth Science and Mineral Engineering Museum, as told by curator Garrett Barmore. Watch the video below to learn more about the fast-moving mineral, halite.

Halite is generally a translucent white and forms in these beautiful cube-shaped crystals you see here. The sticks you see poking out are the remnants of a sagebrush that the halite took over and killed.

Halite is related to salt, and if you taste it, it will taste a bit salty.

More about the Keck Museum and Mineral Monday

Located in the Mackay School of Mines building at the University of Nevada, Reno, the W.M. Keck Earth Science and Mineral Engineering Museum is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the first Saturday of the month from 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.

The Keck Museum houses an outstanding collection of minerals, ores, fossil specimens, and photographs, in addition to mining related relics. The museum is also home to some of the spectacular Mackay Silver Collection, created by Tiffany & Co., for John Mackay and completed in 1878.

For directions and museum details, visit unr.edu/keck. 

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Watch past episodes of Mineral Monday

See you next Mineral Monday!