Rock salt can be hard, especially when it's exposed to moisture and compressed.
Rock salt, primarily used as a de-icer, is naturally crystalline. In its loose, crystalline form, it's not considered exceptionally hard. However, its properties change when exposed to moisture. Here's a breakdown:
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In Its Natural State: As individual crystals, rock salt is relatively easy to crush.
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When Clumped: When rock salt absorbs moisture, the individual crystals can bind together. Over time, particularly with pressure from storage, this binding process can create large, hardened clumps. These clumps are significantly harder to break apart than the individual crystals.
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Factors Affecting Hardness:
- Moisture: The primary culprit for hardening.
- Pressure: Compaction during storage accelerates the hardening process.
- Time: The longer rock salt is exposed to moisture and pressure, the harder it becomes.
In summary, while individual crystals of rock salt aren't particularly hard, compressed, moisture-exposed rock salt can form very hard clumps.
