COMPOUNDS OF POTASSIUM AND SODIUM. ae F | 
Genesee Falls, near Rochester, N.Y. It is also obtained in 
Austria, Hungary, and elsewhere in Europe. 
The artificial salt was first discovered by a German 
chemist by the name of Glauber. 
Aphthitalite (Arcanitc). Potassium sulphate, K,0,8=Sulphate tri. 
oxide 49°9, potash 54:1—100. Found at Vesuvius. Misenite is a hy- 
drous potassium sulphate from a cavern near Misene. 
Thenardite. Sodium sulphate Na,O,S=—Sulphur trioxide 43 7, 
soda 56°3=100. From Spain, Bolivia, Tarapaca, in Peru; Slate Range, 
San Bernardino Co., California ; and in Nevada. 
Glauberite. Sodium-calcium sulphate. In monoclinic crystals, at 
Villa Rubia, in New Castile, Aussee, in Austria, and other salt beds. 
Polyhalite and Picromeride are hydrous magnesium-potassium sul- 
phates ; Bledite and Lowcite hydrous magnesium-sodium Sule 
Syngenite, a hydrous calcium-potassium sulphate. 
Borax.—Hydrous Sodium Biborate. Tinkal. 
Monoclinic. In oblique rhombic prisms J A J=87°. Cleav- 
age parallel with 7-7 perfect. The crystals are white and 
transparent, with a glassy lustre. H.=2-2°5. G.=1°716. 
Taste sweetish-alkaline. 
Composition. Na,O;,B,+10aq= Boron trioxide 36:6, soda 
16°2, water 47-°2=100. B.B. swells up to many times its 
bulk and becomes opaque white, and finally fuses to a 
glassy globule. 
Obs. Borax was originally brought from a salt lake in 
d'hibet, where it is dug in considerable masses from the 
edges and shallow parts of the lakes. The holes thus made 
in a short time become filled again with borax. ‘The crude 
borax was formerly sent to Europe under the name of ¢in- 
kal, and there purified for the arts. It has also been found 
in Peru and Ceylon. It has been extensively made from the 
boracic acid of the Tuscan lagoons by the reaction of this 
acid on sodium carbonate. 
Borax occurs under like circumstances in California and 
Nevada, or is manufactured from other borates in solution 
or in the solid state. Localities in California are Borax 
Lake and its vicinity, north of San Francisco; also near 
Walker’s Pass, Sierra Nevada; at Mono and Owens Lakes, 
and at Death Valley, near the borders of Nevada; in 
the Slate Range, in San Bernardino County ; and in 
Nevada, at Little Salt Lake, near Ragtown, on the Pacific 
Railroad, and at Columbus Marsh. The Columbus Marsh, 
in Neyada, near lat. 88°5'N. and long. 118° W., 46 miles 
