Harris.] 450 [November. 



Dr. Harris exhibited specimens of Orude Borax or Tincal, 

 and Refined Borax, obtained from the Lake country of Cali- 

 fornia, about 130 miles north of San Francisco, where it is 

 deposited in the form of small crystals, and large crystalline 

 masses, varying from a few grains to half a pound in weight, 

 at the bottom of several small lakes, the waters of which are 

 saturated with this salt. The most important of these lakes 

 is situated in the vicinity of " Clear Lake," and covers about 

 200 acres of land. 



The existence of this mineral in California has been known for 

 several years, but the greater inducements offered by gold mining, 

 have occasioned it to be neglected until recently, when a Company 

 was formed for the purpose of collecting and refining it. This cor- 

 poration owns about 2200 acres of land, embracing the borax lakes, 

 a boiling spring of boracic acid, and an immense deposit of sulphur, 

 of a remarkable degree of purity. 



The crude borax of California is remarkably fine, being crystal- 

 lized in hexagonal prisms, of a slightly greenish hue, translucent, and 

 efilorescing slowly. It is entirely free from any soapy or greasy feel, 

 which is common to the crude borax of India, and is said to contain 

 but about ten per cent, of impurities. The "refined borax," is not 

 entirely pure, and not being prepared as it should be, contains too 

 large a proportion of water of crystallization, the loss of which causes 

 a considerable efilorescence to appear on the surface. 



The Company raise the crude borax with a dredging machine, 

 wash it free from mud, and then refine it. They intend, also, to 

 evaporate the water of crystallization by artificial heat, and to com- 

 bine the boracic acid of the boiling springs with soda. They have 

 not as yet completed their arrangements, and have therefore prepared 

 thus far comparatively little for the Eastern market. 



Hitherto, we have been supplied with borax from Thibet and 

 Persia, by the way of Calcutta ; from Tuscany ; and on this conti- 

 nent, from Peru and Ecuador. That from Thibet and Persia is 

 obtained from lakes ; that of Tuscany is produced artificially, from 

 boracic acid springs, by reaction between the acid solution and 

 carbonate of soda. South American borax is obtained by the puri- 

 fication of a mineral consisting in large measure of borate of soda and 

 borate of lime. In a short time we shall, no doubt, be chiefly 

 supplied from California. 



