56 BULLETIN 61, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Analyses of brines from drilled holes — Continued. 
Depth. 
Conventional combinations, grams per 100 c. c. 
Total 
solids on 
evapora- 
tion, 
grams per 
100 c. c. 
KjO, per 
Sample. 
NaGL 
NaaSO* 
Xa : CO, KOI. ™<2£ 
cent of 
total 
solids. 
Hole No. 2: 
60 
Feet, 
3S 
55 
67 
78 
So 
91.5 
94.5 
1.3 
2.5 
5.5 
11 
14.5 
25 
35 
45 
55 
63 
71 
33.24 
36.29 
35.66 
36.47 
34.34 
36.02 
37.16 
34.99 
34.81 
35.00 
35.60 
33.92 
35.79 
34.65 
35.30 
35.77 
35.01 
28.70 
33 
61 
28.02 
4.69 
3.25 
0.31 36.27 
.54 
62 
50 
63 . . . ; 
.50 
64 
.51 
65 
.5? 
66 ,. 
27.79 
4.56 
3.53 
.33 36.21 
.56 
Hole Xo. 3: 
67 
.28 
68 
28.99 
3.65 
1.77 
.15 34.56 
.27 
69 
.27 
70 
.25 
71 
.25 
72 
.23 
73 
.19 
74 
28.42 
4.68 
2.21 
.16 35.47 
.29 
.35 
76 
.30 
77 
.25 
26.92 
4.34 
3.12 .28 34.67 
34.96 
.40 
The section shown by the borings indicates very much the same conditions and 
history as were described in the Silver Peak Marsh. We have here the case of a shal- 
low lake passing through alternate periods of desiccation. At times desiccation pro- 
ceeded to such a point as to cause concentration of the lake waters and deposits of 
salt. More than likely each salt bed was marked by the evaporation of the lake and 
the formation of a salt playa. 
RAILROAD VALLEY. 
Railroad Valley is in the northeastern part of Nye County, Xev., about 130 miles 
northeast of Tonopah and SO miles southwest of Ely. It is 10 to 20 miles wide from 
east to west and somewhat over 100 miles long north to south. The flat, central por- 
tion of the valley has an area of about 200 square miles. The drainage basin is about 
6,000 square miles. Free states that shore-line indications show a lake level varying 
from 50 to 300 feet above the present bed of the dry lake. A number of playas, 
covered by thin salt crusts, occupy the bed of the present dry lake. (Plate IV. fig. 2.) 
Analyses of these crusts and the accompanying brines have been given in a previous 
section, and many of them show a high potassium content. The Railroad Valley 
Co. put down a bore 1.204 feet deep on the east -west half-section line of sec. 2, T. 8 X., 
R. 56 E. The bore is about one-fourth mile west of the west north-south line of sec.l, 
same T. The log of the bore is herewith presented. 
Log of potash drill hole Xo. 1, Railroad Valley, Xye County. Xev. 
[Drilling commenced Mar. 17, 1912; ceased Aug. 27, 1912. All operations in charge of D. H. Walker.) 
Feet. 
Mixed clay and sand, mostly sand (fresh water, not artesian) 1-32 
Quicksand (fresh water) ". 32-103- 
White clay 103-104 
Alternations of quicksand and clay. Some fine gravel among the quick- 
sand (artesian waters in sands, especiallv at 128 feet) 104-136 
Clay * 136-178 
Very fine quicksand (artesian water, especiallv at top of division) 178-214 
Clay * 214-220 
Quicksand with fine gravel (artesian water) 220-222 
Rapid alternations of sand and brownish clays (artesian water in most of 
the sands, especiallv at 250 feet) 222-255 
Clay * 255-260 
Quicksand 260-264. 
