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These five halite crystal fragments show halite's cubic cleavage (three cleavages at right angles). Note that minerals do not always break into perfect 6-sided cubes or even rectangles. Cleavage planes are zones of weakness, not destiny.
The white blobs are spots of paint on the bottom of the fragments.
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Rock salt comes in a variety of dirty colors, depending on impurities. If you broke these up, you might get some good cleavage planes. The planes intersection would make little corners like those of a box (outside corner) or a room (inside corner).
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The larger block of rock salt shows some reflections from either cleavage planes or crystal faces that suggest the cubic nature of halite crystals.
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Blocks of halite found in the wild (normally only in deserts, for halite is very soluble) tend to look partially dissolved. This sample is from the Mojave Desert of California.
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