Borax Lake

The Borax Lake is a boron-borates and halite mine located in Lake county, California.

About the MRDS Data:

All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.

Mine Info

Satelite View

MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.

Site Name

Primary: Borax Lake
Secondary: Clear Lake
Secondary: Lake Hachinhama Little Borax Lake

Commodity

Primary: Boron-Borates
Primary: Halite
Secondary: Sodium
Secondary: Cobalt

Location

State: California
County: Lake
District: Clear Lake

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: California Borax Co (Late 1870'S)

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1864
Year Last Production: 1874
Discovery Year: 1856
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Section: California Coast Ranges
Physiographic Detail: Clear Lake

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Lacustrine borates

Orebody

Form: STRATIFORM

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic)
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Holocene

Name: Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic)
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Holocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 75.4% NACO3, NACL 8.3%, BORAX 16.3%
Analytical Data: LAKE WATER LAKE HACHINHAMA

Materials

Ore: Trona
Ore: Gaylussite
Ore: Halite
Ore: Borax
Ore: Brine

Comments

Comment (Geology): QUAT/HOLO LAKE: QUAT VOLCANICS ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF CLEAR LAKE.

Comment (Development): ECON.COM: VEATCH DETECTED BORIC ACID IN SPRINGS IN NTH CA. HE DISCOVERED BORAX IN CLEAR LAKE-FIRST BORAX MINED IN THE US 1864-1868; BRINES FROM LAKE HACHINHAMA EXTRACTED 1868-1874 BY AMERICAN BORAX CO.

Comment (Deposit): EXTENSIVE DEPOSIT OF COARSE BORAX CRYSTALS WITHIN LACUSTRINE MUD AT THE BOTTOM OF A LAGOON ON THE MARGIN OF CLEAR LAKE; THERMAL SPRINGS IN THE AREA. BORAX AND NA BRINES FROM LAKE HACHINHAMA.

Comment (Location): TWO AREAS IN CLEAR LAKE REGION PRODUCED MINOR BORATES: ?WESTERN SIDE OF LAKE.

Comment (Workings): BORAX-MUD DEPOSITS IN CLEAR LAKE SURFACE MINED. BRINES FROM LAKE HACHINHAMA EVAPORATED; BORAX AND NACO3 CRYSTALLIZED TOGETHER THEN TRONA DISSOLVED, LEAVING BORAX.

References

Reference (Deposit): LYDAY, P.A., 1992, HISTORY OF BORON PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING: INDUSTRIAL MINERALS, NO. 303, P. 19-37.

Reference (Deposit): SMITH, W.C., 1966, BORAX AND OTHER BORON COMPOUNDS: CALIFORNIA DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY BULLETIN 191, PT. 1, P. 104-111.

Reference (Deposit): SMITH, G.I., 1985, BORATE DEPOSITS IN THE UNITED STATES: DISSIMILAR IN FORM, SIMILAR IN GEOLOGIC SETTING, IN BARKER, J.M., AND LEFOND, S.J., 1985, BORATES: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY AND PRODUCTION; PROCEEDINGS OF A SYMPOSIUM HELD ON OCTOBER 24, 1984, AT THE FALL MEETING OF SME-AIME IN DENVER, COLORADO: NEW YORK, SOCIETY OF MINING ENGINEERS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING, METALLURGICAL, AND PETROLEUM ENGINEERS, INC., P. 38-51.

Reference (Deposit): YALE, C.G., 1904, BORAX, IN MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE US - 1903: WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, P. 1017-1028.

Reference (Deposit): VER PLANCK, W.E., 1956, HISTORY OF BORAX PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES: CALIFORNIA JOURNAL OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, V. 52, NO. 3, P. 273-191.

Reference (Production): YALE, 1904.

California Gold

"Where to Find Gold in California" looks at the density of modern placer mining claims along with historical gold mining locations and mining district descriptions to determine areas of high gold discovery potential in California. Read more: Where to Find Gold in California.