Geology of The Death Valley Area - Table of Salts

Table of Salts

Mineral Composition Known or probable occurrence
Halite NaCl Principal constituent of chloride zone and of salt-impregnated sulfate and carbonate deposits.
Sylvite KCl With halite.
Trona Na3H(CO3)22H2O Carbonate zone of Cottonball Basin, especially in marshes.
Thermonatrite Na2CO3·H2O Questionably present on floodplain in Badwater Basin, would be expected in marshes of carbonate zone in Cottonball Basin.
Gaylussite Na2Ca(CO3)2·5H2O Carbonate zone and floodplain in Badwater Basin.
Calcite CaCO3 Occurs as clastic grains in sediments underlying salt pan and as sharply terminated crystals in clay fraction of carbonate zone and in sediments underlying sulfate zone.
Magnesite MgCO3 Obtained in artificially evaporated brines from Death Valley; not yet identified in salt pan; may be expected in carbonate zone of Cottonball Basin.
Dolomite CaMg(CO3)2 identified only as a detrital mineral; may be expected in carbonate zone.
Northupite and/or tychite Na3MgCl(CO3) and/or Na6Mg2(SO4)·(CO3)4 An isotropic mineral, having index of refraction in the range of Northupite and Tychite, has been observed in saline facies of sulfate zone in Cottonball Basin.
Burkeite Na6(CO3)(SO4)2 Sulfate zone in Cottonball Basin.
Thenardite Na2SO4 Common in all zones in Cottonball Basin and in sulfate marshes in Middle and Badwater basins.
Mirabilite Na2SO4·10H2O Occurs on floodplains in Cottonball Basin immediately following winter storms.
Glauberite Na2Ca(SO4)2 Common on floodplains except in central part of Badwater Basin; sulfate zone in Cottonball Basin.
Anhydrite CaSO4 As layer capping massive gypsum 1 mile (2 km) north of Badwater. Possibly also as dry-period efflorescence on floodplains.
Bassanite 2CaSO4·H2O As layer capping massive gypsum along west side of Badwater Basin and as dry-period efflorescence in floodplains.
Gypsum CaSO4·2H2O In sulfate caliche, layer in carbonate zone, particularly in Middle and Badwater basins, in sulfate marshes and as massive deposits in sulfate zone.
Bloedite Na2Mg(SO4)2·4H2O Questionably present in efflorescence on floodplain in chloride zone.
Polyhalite K2Ca2Mg(SO4)4·2H2O Questionably present on floodplain in chloride zone.
Celestine SrSO4 Found with massive gypsum.
Kernite Na2B4O7·4H2O Possibly present in Middle Basin in surface layer of layered sulfate and chloride salts.
Tincalconite Na2B4O7·5H2O Probably occurs as dehydration product of borax.
Borax Na2B4O7·10H2O Floodplains and marshes in Cottonball Basin.
Inyoite Ca2B6O11·13H2O Questionably present (X-ray determination but unsatisfactory) in floodplain in Badwater Basin.
Meyerhofferite Ca2B6O11·7H2O Found in all zones in Badwater Basin and in rough silty rock salt in Cottonball Basin
Colemanite Ca2B6O11·5H2O Questionably present (X-ray determination but unsatisfactory) in floodplain in Badwater Basin.
Ulexite NaCaB5O9·8H2O Common in floodplain in Cottonball Basin; known as "cottonball"
Proberite NaCaB5O9·5H2O A fibrous borate with index of refraction higher than ulexite occurs on dry areas in Cottonball Basin following hot dry spells and in surface layer of smooth silty rock salt.
Soda niter NaNO3 Weak, but positive chemical tests obtained locally.

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