13 Photos
Sylvite
Chemical Formula	KCl
Species	Halides
Crystal System	Isometric
Mohs Scale	1-2
Specific Gravity	1.987
Color	Colorless to white, pale gray, pale blue; may be yellowish redto red due to hematite inclusions
Streak	white
Luster	Vitreous
Refractive Index	n = 1.4903
Diaphaneity	Transparent, Translucent
Cleavage	PerfectOn
Fracture	Irregular/Uneven
Crystal Habit：As cubes and octahedra; columnar, in crusts, coarse granular, massive
Geological Setting：Evaporites in sedimentary basins, sublimate in volcanic fumaroles, burning coal.

Sylvite is potassium chloride (KCl) in natural mineral form. It forms crystals in the isometric system very similar to normal rock salt, halite (NaCl). The two are, in fact, isomorphous. Sylvite is colorless to white with shades of yellow and red due to inclusions. It has a Mohs hardness of 2.5 and a specific gravity of 1.99. It has a refractive index of 1.4903. Sylvite has a salty taste with a distinct bitterness.

Sylvite is one of the last evaporite minerals to precipitate out of solution. As such, it is only found in very dry saline areas. Its principal use is as a potassium fertilizer.

Sylvite is found in many evaporite deposits worldwide. Massive bedded deposits occur in New Mexico and western Texas, and in Utah in the US, but the largest world source is in Saskatchewan, Canada. The vast deposits in Saskatchewan, Canada were formed by the evaporation of a Devonian seaway. Sylvite is the official mineral of Saskatchewan.

Sylvite was first described in 1832 at Mt. Vesuvius near Napoli in Italy and named for the Dutch chemist, Fran?ois Sylvius de le Boe (1614–1672).