Searles Lake Deposit

Site Name

Primary: Searles Lake Deposit
Secondary: Searles Borax Marsh

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Commodity

Primary: Sodium
Primary: Salt
Primary: Potassium
Primary: Boron-Borates
Tertiary: Tungsten
Tertiary: Lithium

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Location

State: California
County: San Bernardino
District: Searles Valley

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Land Status

Land ownership: Mixed
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

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Holdings

Type: Fee Ownership
Type: Federal Lease

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Workings

Type: Surface

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Ownership

Owner Name: North American Chemical Co.
Percent: 100.0
Info Year: 1994

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Production

Not available

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Deposit

Record Type: Deposit
Operation Category: Plant
Plant Subtype: Crystallization
Operation Type: Brine Operation
Mining Method: Auger Mining - Solution Mining
Milling Method: Crystallization
Year First Production: 1873
Discovery Year: 1862
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y

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Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Basin And Range Province
Physiographic Section: Great Basin

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Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

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Orebody

Not available

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Structure

Not available

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Alterations

Not available

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Rocks

Not available

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Analytical Data

Not available

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Materials

Ore: Halite
Ore: Trona
Ore: Borax
Unknown: Gaylussite

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Comments

Comment (Production): INVESTMENT OF $200 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF ARGUS PLANT AND RENOVATION OF TRONA AND WESTEND PLANTS.

Comment (Geology): A NEARLY DRY PLAYA LAKE COVERING ABOUT 100SQ KM, LENGTH 15KM WIDTH 11KM. THICKNESS OF FILL FROM 0 AT PERIPHERY TO OVER 900M TOWARD CENTER. BASEMENT ROCK QUARTZ MONZONITE. EVAPORITE DEPOSIT ALTERNATING MUD BEDS AND BRINE SATURATED SALT BEDS. 6 MAJOR LAYERS (BOTTOM-TOP): MIXED LAYER, BOTTOM MUD, LOWER STRUCTURE BRINE, PARTING MUD, UPPER STRUCTURE BRINE, OVERBURDEN MUD. IN DATA BASE, DEPTH TO MINERALIZED ZONE FOR OVERBURDEN MUD TO UPPER STRUCTURE. UNCONSOLIDATED MATERIAL SAME AS DEPTH TO MINERALIZED ZONE. THICKNESS OF MINERALIZATION COMBINED FOR THE UPPER AND LOWER STRUCTURE, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE MIXED LAYER, WHICH HAS A THICKNESS OF +200M. SINCE IT IS A DRY PLAYA LAKE, THERE IS NO STRIKE OR DIP. NO DEFORMATION HAS OCCURRED IN THE BRINES- ENTERED AS UNKNOWN UNDER RELATIONSHIP AND DEFORMATION, NO AGE GIVEN FOR AGE OF DEFORMATION.

Comment (Deposit): BRINE PUMPED FROM LAKE TO 1 OF 3 PLANTS. TRONA PLANT: EVAPORATION, FRACTIONAL CRYSTALLIZATION, SOL- VENT EXTRACTION, CALCINATION-- PRODUCES POTASH, BORAX, SALT CAKE. ARGUS PLANT: CARBONATION, CRYSTALLIZATION, CALCINATION-- PRODUCES SODA ASH. WESTEND PLANT: CALCINATION, EVAPORATION, FRACTIONAL CRYSTALLIZATION-- PRODUCES SODA ASH, SALT CAKE, BORAX. COMBINED PRODUCTION FROM 3 PLANTS: POTASH- 496MT/D, BORAX- 559MT/D, SODA ASH- 3230MT/D, SALT CAKE- 1616MT/D, TOTAL- 5901MT/D. BECAUSE THIS OPERATION DOES NOT FIT MANY OF THE CATEGORIES IN THE DATA BASE, ENTRIES HAVE BEEN SIMPLIFIED. PRODUCTION IS LISTED AS A COMBINED TOTAL FROM THE 3 PLANTS, AND COSTS ARE ALSO COMBINED TOTALS FOR THE 3 PLANTS. LI038 PUT ON MILS FOR ISMI ID NUMBER. WO116 IS SECOND ID NO. UGSG-MRDS/GSC LISTS A LAT/LONG OF N354500/W1172000 FOR THE ID AS LISTED IN MILS. LIST IS AS OF JUNE 94, CHECK IN AUG 95.

Comment (Ownership): KERR-MCGEE IS 100PCT OWNER OF ALL 3 PLANTS AT SEARLES LAKE. KERR-MCGEE ALSO OWNS 30PCT OF THE 8823HA IT OPERATES ON THE LAKE. THE OTHER 70PCT IS LEASED FROM THE U.S. GOVERN- MENT, AND KERR-MCGEE PAYS A ROYALTY ON PRODUCTION FROM THIS LEASED LAND.

Comment (Geology): Searles Lake deposit [also known as Trona deposit] [includes West End Chemical mine, McGee mine] - Searles Lake near Trona. aphthitalite, borax, burkeite, galeite, gaylussite, halite, hanksite, mirabilite, nahcolite, northupite, pirssonite, schairerite, searlesite, sulphohalite, teepleite, thenardite, tincalconite, trona, tychite. [http://www.mineralsocal.org/scfm/california/s.htm, accessed 12/6/10]

Comment (Geology): OTHER MINERALS FOUND IN SEARLES LAKE NOT LISTED IN TABLE V IN THE DATA BASE: BURKEITE, GLASERITE, HANKSITE, NAHCOLITE NORTHUPITE, PIRSSONITE, SULFOHALITE, THENARDITE, TYCHITE.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): QUANTITY GIVEN IS TOTAL AMOUNT OF POTASH, BORAX, SODA ASH, AND SALT CAKE. BY COMMODITY, THE QUANTITY PRESENT IS: POTASSIUM CHLORIDE (POTASH)- 101.3MILLION TONNES SODIUM TETRABORATE (BORAX)-- 47.2MILLION TONNES SODIUM CARBONATE (SODA ASH)- 851.8MILLION TONNES SODIUM SULFATE (SALT CAKE)-- 488.1MILLION TONNES THE ASSAY IS THE PERCENTAGE OF EACH COMMODITY IN THE TOTAL RESOURCE.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): NOT A TUNGSTEN PRODUCER; U.S. BUR. MINES CIRCULAR 8315. BRINE CONTAINS 56 PPM TUNGSTEN. TOTAL 135 MILLION POUNDS OF TUNGSTEN

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References

Reference (Deposit): PARKINSON,G. KERR-MCGEE EXPANDS SODA ASH OUTPUT NINE-FOLD FROM SEARLES LAKE BRINES: E/MJ, OCT 1977, PP.71-75.

Reference (Deposit): MOULTON,G.F.,JR., PERSONAL COMMUNICATION, JUNE 23, 1981; JULY 28, 1981.

Reference (Deposit): MOULTON,G.F.,JR., 1980, COMPENDIUM OF SEARLES LAKE OPERATION KERR-MCGEE CHEMICAL CORP COMPANY PAMPHLET.

Reference (Deposit): MANNION,L.E., 1975, SODIUM CARBONATE DEPOSITS, IN INDUSTRIAL MINERALS AND ROCKS: NEW YORK, AIME, PP.1061-1079.

Reference (Deposit): LEONARDI,M.L., 1954, AMERICAN POTASH AND CHEMICAL CORP, MAIN PLANT CYCLE: TRANS OF AIME, V.199, PP.203-208.

Reference (Deposit): LEBARON,I.M., KNOPF,W.C., APPLICATION OF ELECTROSTATICS TO POTASH BENEFICIATION: MINING ENGINEERING, OCT 1958, PP. 1081-1083.

Reference (Deposit): KERR-MCGEE CORP, 1980, TRONA, SODA ASH, AND THE ARGUS FACILITY: COMPANY BULLETIN 1400, 24 PP.

Reference (Deposit): SMITH,G.I., 1979, SUBSURFACE STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOCHEMISTRY OF LATE QUATERNARY EVAPORITES, SEARLES LAKE, CALIF: USGS PROF PAPER 1043, 130 PP.

Reference (Deposit): SMITH,G.I., 1962, SUBSURFACE STRATIGRAPHY OF LATE QUATERNARY DEPOSITS, SEARLES LAKE, CALIF: A SUMMARY: USGS PROF PAPER 450-C, PP.C65-69.

Reference (Deposit): SINGLETON,R.H., 1978, POTASH: US BUMINES MINERAL COMMODITY PROFILE 11, 27 PP.

Reference (Deposit): SEARLES,J.P., 1980, POTASH- A CHAPTER FROM MINERAL FACTS AND PROBLEMS: US BUMINES, PREPRINT FROM BUL 671, 14 PP.

Reference (Deposit): RYAN,J.E., INDUSTRIAL SALTS: PRODUCTION AT SEARLES LAKE: MINING ENGINEERING, MAY 1951, PP.447-452.

Reference (Deposit): KERR-MCGEE CORP, 1980, ANNUAL REPORT.

Reference (Deposit): KERR-MCGEE CORP, 1980, AGREEMENT BETWEEN TRONA OPERATIONS, KERR-MCGEE CHEMICAL CORP AND THE ILWU LOCAL N.35, NOV 21, 1980.

Reference (Deposit): KERR-MCGEE CORP, 1978, THE SEARLES LAKE FACILITIES: COMPANY PAMPHLET.

Reference (Deposit): JENNINGS,C.W., AND OTHERS, 1962, GEOLOGIC MAP OF CALIF, OLAF P. JENKINS ED., TRONA SHEET: CALIF DIV MINES AND GEOLOGY MAP SHEET

Reference (Deposit): HICKS,W.B., 1917, EVAPORATION OF BRINE FROM SEARLES LAKE, CALIF: USGS PROF PAPER 98, PP.1-8.

Reference (Deposit): HICKS,W.B., 1915, EVAPORATION OF POTASH BRINES: USGS PROF PAPER 95, PP.65-72.

Reference (Deposit): HAMMAN,W.D., 1912, THE SEARLES LAKE POTASH DEPOSIT: ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, V.93, PP.975-976.

Reference (Deposit): KERR-MCGEE CORP, 1980, FORM 10-K REPORT TO THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, PP. 14-15.

Reference (Deposit): WEISMAN,W.I., AND TANDY,C.W., 1975, SODIUM SULFATE DEPOSITS, IN INDUSTRIAL MINERALS AND ROCKS: NEW YORK, AIME, PP.1081-1093.

Reference (Deposit): VER PLANCK,W.E., 1957, SALINES: CALIF DIV MINES BUL 176, PP. 475-482.

Reference (Deposit): US BUMINES, 1970, THE US POSITION AND OUTLOOK IN POTASH: US BU MINES IC 8487, 47 P.

Reference (Deposit): SMITH,G.I., AND PRATT,W.P., 1957, CORE LOGS FROM OWENS, CHINA, SEARLES, AND PANAMINT BASINS, CALIF: USGS BUL 1045-A, PP. 1-4,25-51.

Reference (Deposit): SMITH,G.I., AND HAINES,D.V., 1964, CHARACTER AND DISTRIBUTION OF NONCLASTIC MINERALS IN THE SEARLES LAKE EVAPORITE DEPOSIT, CALIF: USGS BUL 1181-P, 58 PP.

Reference (Deposit): CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY, 1972, SALT-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: V.25, N.10, P.233.

Reference (Deposit): BRADLEY,W.W., 1945, FLOWSHEET OF AMERICAN POTASH AND CHEMICAL CORP. AT SEARLES LAKE, CALIF: CALIF JOURNAL OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, V.41,NO.4,PP. 361-363.

Reference (Deposit): BERTHOLD,C.E., 1975, PROCESS TECHNOLOGY FOR RECOVERING GEOTHERMAL BRINE MATERIALS (CONTRACT 144104): US BUMINES OFR 35-75, 255 PP.

Reference (Deposit): BAILEY,G.E., 1902, THE SALINE DEPOSITS OF CALIFORNIA: CALIF STATE MIN BUR BULL 24, 216 PP.

Reference (Deposit): ALTRINGER,P.B.,AND OTHERS, 1978, TUNGSTEN RECOVERY FROM SEARLES LAKE BRINES BY ION EXCHANGE: MINING ENGINEERING, AUG 1979, PP. 1220-1225.

Reference (Deposit): ALTRINGER,P.B.,AND OTHERS, 1978, TUNGSTEN RECOVERY FROM SEARLES LAKE BRINES: US BUMINES RI 8315, 15 PP.

Reference (Deposit): DYER,B.W., SEARLES LAKE DEVELOPMENT: QUARTERLY OF COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES, OCT 1950, V.45, N4B, PP.39-44.

Reference (Deposit): DROSTE,J.B., 1961, CLAY MINERALS IN SEDIMENTS OF OWENS,CHINA SEARLES, PANAMINT, BRISTOL, CADIZ, AND DANBY LAKE BASINS, CALIF: GSA BULLETIN, V.72, PP.1713-1722.

Reference (Deposit): DOLBEAR,S.H., 1914, THE SALINE DEPOSITS OF SEARLES LAKE, CAL MINING AND ENGINEERING WORLD, V.41, PP.797-800

Reference (Deposit): DOLBEAR,C.E., 1913, THE SEARLES LAKE POTASH DEPOSIT: ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, V.95, PP. 259-261.

Reference (Deposit): DEGROOT,H., 1890, THE SEARLES BORAX MARSH: CALIF STATE MININ BUREAU, 10TH ANNUAL REPORT, PP.534-539

Reference (Deposit): CARPENTER,L.G.,AND GARRETT,D.E., TUNGSTEN IN SEARLES LAKE: MINING ENGINEERING, MAR 1959, PP.301-303.

Reference (Deposit): GIULIANELLI,J.L., AND OTHERS, FEASIBILITY OF "ENHANCED" SOLUTION MINING AT SEARLES LAKE, CALIFORNIA: MINING ENGINEERING, AUG 1981, PP.1227-1230.

Reference (Deposit): E/MJ,1980, INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF MINING, P.169

Reference (Deposit): WILSON,W.P., A TO Z IN POTASH ORE PROCESSING: E/MJ, AUG 1966 PP. 86-91.

Reference (Deposit): HAINES,D.V., 1959, CORE LOGS FROM SEARLES LAKE, SAN BERNARDINO CO, CALIF: USGS BUL 1045-E, PP.139-317.

Reference (Deposit): GARRETT,D.E., 1960, BORAX PROCESSING AT SEARLES LAKE, IN INDUSTRIAL MINERALS AND ROCKS: NEW YORK, AIME, PP.119-122.

Reference (Deposit): GALE,H.S., 1919, SEARLES LAKE, IN SALT RESOURCES OF THE UNITED STATES: USGS BUL 669, PP.164-174.

Reference (Deposit): GALE,H.S., 1915, SALINES IN THE OWENS, SEARLES, AND PANAMINT BASINS, SE CALIF: USGS BULL 580, PP.251-323.

Reference (Deposit): GALE,H.S., 1913, PAPERS ON POTASH AND OTHER SALINES: USGS BUL 540-N, PP.N1-37.

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