MINERALOGICAL GEOLOGY 
413 
to be found the massive colemanite crystal that might well recall 
to mind a limestone bed and at first glance be easily mistaken for 
such, the clay layers carrying large nodular masses of colemanite, 
the blue shales through which is disseminate finely divided cole¬ 
manite, the lamellar clays in which is interspersed paper-like films 
of colemanite, and the veining plates of needle colemanite cutting 
across all the others. In the common acceptance of the term, 
then, it seems utterly impossible for the bedded colemanite to be 
regarded a vein formation. 
If it were possible under existing conditions for borac a!cid to 
displace carbonic acid in a normal limestone that had been de¬ 
formed, tilted, faulted, and broken, it certainly should be in the 
White Basin that it would have been done. There should also 
be in the borate-bearing sequence and elsewhere in the borate field 
other limestone beds that failed to be thus affected or replaced. 
Of these there appears to be not the slightest trace. Every line of 
geological evidence thus militates most strongly against the vein 
origin of the colemanite beds. The vein interpretation of cole¬ 
manite deposition is an impossible one. 
There is one strong feature to recommend the vein theory of 
colemanite formation. It is almost too foreign and too startling 
to appeal to scientist. Advocates of the vein theory being some¬ 
thing of doctrinaires could hardly expect unaided to have such 
angle of the matter presented to them. It is not a geological 
phase at all, but a legal and commercial aspect. It opens up a 
contest royal between lode claim and placer claim that has count¬ 
less and confusing ramifications. It is well known that most 
borate claims are located in accordance with the lode rules. Many 
borate claims, however, are held by placer regulations. These 
often overlap in a bewildering manner. Frequently the first men¬ 
tioned claims are plastered over and over by the placer locations. 
The latter are more comprehensive than the former. They have 
perhaps better intrinsic rights under present normal conditions. 
When mining of these shall have been commenced upon these 
properties there must inevitably and automatically arise immediate 
conflict between different interests and complicated rights. The 
prospect becomes gloomy. The outcome bids fair not only to turn 
into turmoil the entire borax industry of our country, but speedily 
to accomplish its irremediable ruination. As an American industry 
