The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-10-07
IN ENORMOUS QUANTITY.
6orax Deposits of Death Valley and
Mojave Desert.

press, by Mr.. M. R. Campbell, gives
the results of reconnaissance of
the borax deposits of Death Valley
and Mohaye Desert, California.
The occurrence of borax in the
United States, so far as is known, is
limited to the states of California,
Nevada and Oregon. The borax in
dustry has passed through several
stages of development. Originally, in
1864. borax was produced by evapor-
ating the waters of Clear lake, about
SO miles north of San Francisco. Then
the horax crust on many of the aka
line marshes of eastern California
and western Nevada was refined.
About 1890 it was founl that the
ondary deposit derived from beds of
| borate of lime in the tertiary lake
sediments of the region. This discov-
cry revolutionized the industry. A
mine was established on the bedded
deposit at Borate, IL miles northeast
of Daggett, San Bernardino county,
| California, and at the present time
this plant, owned by the Pacific Coast
Borax company, is the chief producer
of borax and boracic acid in this
country.
The value of this discovery led to
extensive prospecting and to the dis
covery in Death valley of enormous
deposits, far exceeding those now
worked near Daggett. The borax of
Death valley, as well as that near
Daggett, occurs in regular stratum.
Mohave desert is located in Kern,
Los Angeles and San Bernardino
counties, California, and lies in the
angle of the Sierra Madre on the
south, the Sierra Nevada on the west,
and thence it stretches eastward to
the Colorado river, and northward to
Death valley. This desert forms a
part of the Great Basin. The most
noted feature of the region is Death
valley, which lies so miles east of
the Sierra Nevada and onlv few
miles west of the Nevada state line.
This valley, about so miles long and
from to 10 miles wide, is at it's low
est point about 480 feet below sea
level with mountains towering on
| either side, nearly to the region of
perpetual snow, Death valley is re-
/ garded as the hottest place in the
United States. At the ranch main
tanned near the mouth of, Furnace
creek by the Pacific Borax company
/ the summer temperature is reported
tc reach 1877 degrees in the shade;
but by means of a double roof and
running water, habitation is rendered
possible even in this intense heat.
4 Whenever sufficient water can be OBJ
tained both in the Mohave desert
\ and in the Death valley region, the
soil proves fertile and vegetation is
luxuriant.
Death valley received it's sinister
band of emigrants wandered into the
valley, and most of them persisted
from thirst before on avenue of es-
cape was discovered.
In addition to borax deposits, Death
i valley contains an immense salt field,
which may in time become valuable.
1t is about 80 miles long, from to
miles wide, and the crust of salt
probably averages one foot in thick
, ness. Refining would be necessary
before the salt could be placed upon
the market.
The route followed by Mr.. Camp
: bell, in part through a section not
: hitherto described in any geologic re
port, was from San Bernardino by
| way of Cajon canyon and Mohave de-
sert to Pahrump valley; thence by
way of Amargosa valley and Death
valley to Owens lake, and thence by
Bedrock canyon and Mohave desert
! to San Bernardino again.
Z The geology of the country along
J this route is sketched.
Mr. Campbell conclndes that lake
) sediments occur throughout wide
: extent of territory in the Great Basin
but that the various outcrops are not
) as some writer's have supposed, parts
, of one extensive sheet of sediment
which was deposited in widespread
= but shallow lake. From the charac
: ter and arrangement of the material
, composing these beds, it is apparent
/ he holds, that most of the lakes occu
. pied valleys, the bounding walls Of
+ which may be seen today, with the
l coarse detrital material of the lake
: beds at their feet. These lakes ex
2 listed at different geological epochs
: and the conditions leading to theil
D formation were climatic. Possibly
: the conditions were similar to those
D prevailing today about Owens lake
Y and Great Salt lake, where extensive
0 alkaline deposits are accommodating.
The bulletin is illustrated by ;
sketch map of Mohave Desert ant
Death valley, showing location o
n LIB NJ