POTASH SALTS AND OTHER SALINES IN THE GREAT BASIN REGION 
35 
G. I. Adams * describes a similar deposit at the Rabbit Hole Sulphur Mines, Nevada. 
Instead of kalinite, alunite is the mineral formed in association with sulphur. Sol- 
fataric action is considered the cause of the formation. 
Several samples were submitted to the cooperative laboratory from what was 
called a hot-spring deposit occurring 30 miles northeast of Wells, Nev., in Thousand 
Springs Valley. The mineral contained crystals of kalinite, sulphur, and gypsum. 
The two samples showed the following analyses: 
Number. 
K 2 SO<, 
A1 2 (S04) 3 . 
CaSO*. Fe 2 (S04) 3 . 
S. 
Na 2 SO<. 
NaCl. 
Insol. 
HjO. 
319-1 
40.06 
2.35 
18.20 Tr. 
15.74 Tr. 
Present. 
Present. 
Tr. 
Tr. 
Tr. 
Tr. 
8.94 
75.28 
33.50 
319-2 
5.10 
The determination was made upon the water-soluble material in both samples. 
A test for alunite gave negative results. The richer material contains 57.14 per cent 
kalinite. The sample of water from the hot springs in the near vicinity gave the 
following results: 
Analysis of water from hot spring. 
Ca. 
Mg. 
K. 
Na. 
CI. 
Percent. 
11.1 
Trace. 
5.1 
2.2 
Per cent 
S0 4 8. 2 
HC0 3 52.2 
Total solids on evaporation (parts 
per 100, 000) 62. 
The evaporation of a water of this composition would account for the potassium 
and alum in the surface deposit of the spring. 
Undoubtedly there are other occurrences of alum. No attempt has been made to 
exploit deposits of this nature. Systematic sampling to determine the average alum 
content and the total tonnage available has not been made in any one case and, 
consequently, the value of such deposits is an open question. 
ALUNITE. 
Gale has described the occurrence of alunite in the Great Basin, and for a detailed 
presentation the reader is referred to his bulletin. 2 This mineral has been reported 
from the following localities: 
Goldfield, Nev. ; associated in soft, massive form in ores, and occurs also_ as a con- 
stituent of altered volcanic rocks. Kalinite is conspicuously associated with it. 3 
Cactus Range, south of the Goldfleld-Cactus Road; associated with silicified rhyolite. 4 
Cuprite, 12 miles south of Goldfield; associated with an altered rhyolite pumice. 5 
Rabbit Hole Sulphur Mines, 35 miles northwest of Humboldt House, Nev. ; asso- 
ciated with sulphur in Tertiary sedimentaries. The rocks are much silicified in the 
neighborhood of the sulphur deposits. 6 
Camp Alunite, 22 miles southeast of Las Vegas, Nev. ; associated with altered ande- 
sites and monzonites. 7 
Las Vegas, locality 15 miles south of Las Vegas, Nev. ; sample of alunite submitted 
by J. A. Delameter, who reports no name for the district, and states that there is^ 
apparently a considerable quantity of the mineral. The mineral submitted is mas- 
sive alunite and contains 8.98 per cent potash. 8 
Marysvale, Utah, Little Cottonwood Canyon, 7 miles southwest of Marysvale. The! 
alunite occurs in veins. The main vein has been traced for a distance of 3,000 to 
3,500 feet, and reaches a thickness of 20 feet in the widest portion. The potash content 
is from 10 to 12 per cent. A parallel vein 6 feet wide occurs close to the main vein. 
A review of the conclusions of Ransome, Butler, Adams, and Hill concerning the 
genesis of this mineral has resulted in the following summation: The occurrences of 
alunite may be grouped in two general types — those in which alunite was formed from 
the action of solfataric waters or vapors carrying sulphuric acid upon igneous rocks 
1 Bui. No. 225, U. S. Geol. Survey, p. 497. 
2 Bui. No. 511. U. S. Geol. Survey. 
3 Professional Paper No. 66, TJ. S". Geol. Survey, p. 108, Ransome. 
« Bui. No. 30S, U. S. Geol. Survey, p. 48, Ball. 
5 Professional Paper No. 66, U. S. Geol. Survey, Ransome. 
6 Bui. No. 225, U. S. Geol. Survev, Contributions to Economic Geology, p. 500. 
1 En?, and Mnsr. Jour., Dec. 19, 190S. p. 1203. 
s Records of the Cooperative Laboratory, ileno, Nev. 
