566  CONTRIBUTIONS   TO    ECONOMIC    GEOLOGY,  1904.         [bull.  260. 
which  the  water  stands  at  the  lake  level.  The  water  in  this  pool  is 
somewhat  less  saline  than  that  in  the  lake. 
Apparently  the  lake  at  one  time  filled  the  entire  depression,  but  it 
has  shrunk  to  its  present  size  by  evaporation  and  the  deposition  of 
wash  from  the  adjacent  slopes,  mainly  on  the  south.  No  excavations 
have  been  made  on  the  bottom  of  the  lake  or  on  its  shores,  but 
undoubtedly  there  are  extensive  bodies  of  salt  below,  probably  more 
or  less  mixed  with  mud. 
A  large  amount  of  salt  could  be  obtained  by  properly  conducted 
solar  evaporation  of  the  lake  water.  By  washing  the  salt  with  a 
small  amount  of  the  lake  water  the  more  soluble  foreign  salts  are 
removed  and  almost  pure  chloride  of  sodium  remains. 
