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Hydrohalite
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Hydrohalite is a halide mineral that occurs in saturated halite brines at cold temperatures (below 0.1 °C) and is the most common form of hydrated sodium chloride. It was first described in 1847 from an occurrence in Dürrnberg, Austria.
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Physical properties
Hydrohalite has a high nucleation energy, it decomposes at 0.1°C, giving a salty brine and solid halite.

The cryohydric point of hydrohalite is at −21.2 °C (−6.2 °F), solutions will normally need to be supercooled for crystals to form. Above this temperature, liquid water saturated with salt can exist in equilibrium with hydrohalite. Unlike halite, hydrohalite has a strong positive temperature coefficient of solubility.[2] Under pressure, hydrohalite is stable between 7,900 and 11,600 atmospheres pressure. The decomposition point increases at the rate of 0.007K per atmosphere (for 1–1000 atmospheres),[2] reaching a maximum decomposition temperature is at 25.8°C around 9400 atmospheres. The decomposition temperature reduces again at higher pressures.[2]
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Occurrence
The type locality is the Hallein Salt Mine in Austria.[3]
Ceres
Hydrohalite was discovered on Ceres by Dawn,[4] suggesting an early ocean, possibly surviving as a relict ocean.
References
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