44 



SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



smooth slopes covered by a soft, puffy soil and absolutely barren 

 of all vegetation — not a spear of grass modifies the variegated color 

 of their slopes. In these shales and sandstones the borax ore occurs in 

 beds or large lenses interstratified with the shales. It consists of the 



Fig. -iiJ. — Bringing out the specimens. The minerals resulting from the work 

 shown in figure 36 are carried over the rough salt to the automobile. (Photo- 

 graph by Grinnell.) 



minerals colemanite with minor amounts of meyerhoft'erite, both 

 borates of lime, and of ulexite and probertite, borates of lime and 

 soda. Other rarer minerals are found. In the workings made to 

 explore these deposits, numerous vugs lined with beautifully sharp, 

 clear crystals are found. Groups of these were carefully removed 

 and prepared for shipment. 



