BORAX LAKE, CALIFORNIA. 
83 
amount of crystallized borax is finally collected in the bottom of each tank. This is 
subsequently recrystallized, but from the density acquired by the washing water, of which 
some hundred thousand gallons are daily employed, it is evident that less than one-half 
the borax existing in the form of crystals is thus obtained, whilst that present in the 
mud itself is again returned to the lake. 
In 1866, when I visited this locality, the crystals of crude borax daily obtained 
amounted to about 3000 lb., and after being carefully washed they were dissolved in 
boiling water and recrystallized in large lead-lined vessels, from which the crystallized 
borax was removed into boxes each containing a hundredweight. 
The amount of refined salt daily obtained varied from 2500 to 2600 lb., which was 
produced, as nearly as I could calculate, at a cost of about £18 per ton. 
It is evident from the foregoing description that the system of working employed is 
exceedingly crude, and by no means calculated for obtaining the best results, and that 
in order to do so it would be necessary to adopt some efficient process for the lixiviation 
of the mud after its removal from the bottom of the lake, and the recrystallization of 
the borax thus obtained. 
The total extent of the muddy deposit considerably exceeds 300 acres; and if we as¬ 
sume that of this area 100 acres, or that portion only now worked for borax crystals, 
would be sufficiently rich to pay the expenses of treatment by the process at present 
employed, we shall arrive at the following figures:— 
One hundred acres are equivalent to 484,000 square yards, and if the mud were worked 
only to a depth of 3| feet, this would represent about 565,000 cubic yards; or, allowing 
a cubic yard to weigh a ton, which is a very low estimate, the total weight of 100 acres 
of mud, in its wet state, will be approximately 565,000 tons. If the mud, as extracted 
from the lake, be now assumed to contain 60 per cent, of water, there will remain 226,000 
tons of dry mud, containing, according to the mean of the analyses of Messrs. Oxland 
and Moore, 18'29 per cent, of borax ; but if in practice only 12 per cent, of borax were 
obtained, this area alone would afford 27,120 tons of crystallized salt. 
According to Mr. S. M‘Adam, of Edinburgh, to whom a specimen was forwarded for 
analysis, the crude borax from Borax Lake has the following composition:— 
Biborate of Soda, dry.51-85 
Water of Crystallization ..45-44 
Insoluble matter.1-42 
Sulphate of Soda, dry.0-06 
Chloride of Sodium, dry.0-08 
Phosphate of Soda, dry.1*15 
100-00 
Mr. Moore, of San Francisco, gives the following as the composition of the water of 
Borax Lake, which has a mean specific gravity of 1-0274:^- 
In an Imperial gallon , 
Chloride of Sodium.1198-66 
„ Potassium. 9-92 
Iodide of Magnesium. *22 
Bromide „ trace 
Bicarbonate of Magnesia. ,, 
„ Soda ..188-28 
„ Ammonia. trace 
Carbonate of Soda. 578-65 
Biborate „ 281-48 
Phosphate of Alumina. 3'52 
Sulphate of Lime. trace 
Silicic acid. 2-37 
Matters volatile at a red heat. 238-66 
2,501-76 
In the foregoing analysis all the salts have been calculated as being anhydrous ; but 
G 2 
