The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-04-04
or borax, may also contain supplies Of

for boraX, may also contain supplies OF
potash.
Methods of separating potash from
brines are now under investigation by
the Bureau of Soils.
Borax Lake. according to the United
States Geological Survey is one of
the playas or internationally wet and
dry lakes common throughout the arid
regions Of the West 1t lies between
the Argus and Slate ranges. In the
Mohave Desert Of southern California.
The lake or fat is about 10 miles long
and miles wide, and has received the
drainage from the surrounding hills
Tor many thousands of years. vast
quantities Of dissolved minerals being
thus concentrated in it, The water
has been evGporated under the intense
heat of the long. hot seasons, but tie
salts have remained so that for most
of the year, in fact often throughout
the year, the bed is a glistening plain
of white salts, I'm attempting to cross
which under a brazen sun men have
lost their lives.
The mirage plays its strange trick
here, and nj the dryest places the
traveller can generally see what APP
pears to be broad expanse Of water
covering the bed n little way ahead
always little distance off. until he APP
proaches the shore of Borax Lake.
Then when he looks behind him, he
sees the water apparently covering the
ground over which he has Just come.
The lake occupies a valley made by
faults-breaks and slips in the earth's
crust--where a great area has been
dropped down. Borings have been
made through tho mud and water un
DERIVING the lake to n depth of some
hundreds of feet the deepest borings
made bringing up hot mud.
Close to Transportation.
y reconnaissance of the general
region was made by one of the geolo-
Gists of the United States Geological
Survey in 1900 and is described in the |
Surveys Bulletin 200, now out of print /
Borax Lake itself however. was not
visited. The lake is also shown on a |
map in Water Supply Paper 224 of the |
Survey Some Desert Watering Places
In Southeastern California and South |
western Nevada" Its nearest railroad
Is the Owenyo branch of the Southern |
Paeiils, running from Mohave past
Owens Lake. Borax Lake is situated
about 20 miles from the station of
searles, on this railroad.
Many useful and curious minerals
are found in the muds and other de-
poSits of Borax Lake. including of
curse borax. Among them are gym
sum, slauberite. carbonate and sul-
phate OF soda, salt, thenardite, and
The last carries as much "a
-'Sz per cent Of potassium equivalent
o 4.i4 pcr cent OF potassium chloride.
The salts are not evenly distributed
'Ver the surface of the lake Borax
vas found plentifuly over about 2
quare miles, common salt is every
where and sodium carbonate and So
mum sulphate are widely distributed. |
me boring Is said to have passed
hrough 2S feet Of solid trona (hy-
Irous carbonate of soda) of great pu-
NY AT other places there is 20 feet
II solid mixed sulphate and carbonate [
u soda, with smaller quantities of
liner salts. Although the lake bed Is I
Try most of the time, a few inches :
lnder the outer crust there is alwnys 4
'ater-a bittern heavily impregnated a
With salts. r
Several years ago an English COM Z
any attempted to work the soda a..
osits on an extensive scale. but for 5
ONE reason the work has not been T
ushed. This company sunk num- G
er OF wells, casing them through the a
ola deposits. 1t was found that . y
easy stream of water could no u
Jumped continuously without percen. .
IDLY lowering the water level. Potas- G
'uhi chloride and sulphate. the forms u
. which potash salts are most likeI,. o
De round In such deposits. are Z
mong the most soluble of salts ana D
re likely to be much more genoral, q
Unused than salts less easily A,,l,,blo ~
Is presumed. therefore, that tho on
ire body of water and mud In a.. 7
IKE contains potash in a moro or less
inform degree. However. this cond,
on mas OF course been motafed nv
sehcies' such ms springs and streams h
nat bring In fresh water, for the N
'oFement of water through the lake n
as been slow owing to the presence OF n
nc sand and salts that nll the basin.