232 GEOLOGICAL HISTOKY OF LAKE LAKONTAN. 



The total quantity of saline matter occurring as an efflorescence on 

 the deserts of the Lahontan basin would be found very great could it be 

 reckoned In tons. At many places it is of economic importance for the 

 conmion salt, sodium carbonate, boracic acid, etc., that it contains. The 

 industries arising from the coiumercial value of these deposits, although 

 limited at the present time, may be increased, at least so far as the gather- 

 ing of common salt is concerned, almost without limit, the supply in many 

 localities being far beyond any demands that are likely to be made upon 

 ihem. 



A good illustration of the nature of the salts impregnating the Lahontan 

 sediments is furnished by an examination of the various salt-works located 

 within the lake basin. 



BUFFALO SPRINGS SALT WORKS. 



At the Buffalo Springs Salt Works, situated on the west side of Smoky 

 Creek Desert, the brine from beneath the desert is allowed to collect in wells, 

 and is then pumped into vats at the surface and left to evaporate. The crust 

 of salt that remains is then gathered and is found sufficiently pure for all 

 domestic uses. About 250 tons are annually collected, the total amount 

 produced since the works were started being not far from 1,500 tons. When 

 fresh water is caused to flow over the surface of lake-beds in the vicinity 

 it soon becomes strongly saline, and when it gathers in hollows and evap- 

 orates it leaves a crust of salt that is sometimes several inches in thickness. 

 This method is employed, to some extent, for obtaining the less pure grades 

 used principally for chloridizing silver ores 



Two miles east of the works there are level, pond-like areas on the 

 surface of the desert that are usually covered with a white efflorescence 

 some inches in thickness. Other depressions are soft and completely sat- 

 urated with bitter brine. In some, there are deposits of sulphate of soda at 

 least several feet in thickness, but never probed to the bottom. When 

 examined by the writer, these sulphate beds weie covered to the depth of 

 several inches with mother-liquor or soft mud that rendered the surface 

 unsafe to walk upon. The wliole desert region, on the edge of which the 



