<<

STATE OF OREGON

DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES

702 loodlark lu1ld1na Por+l.nd, Oregon

G M I SHORT PAPIER

po. 17

SODIUM SAl.fS OP LUI OOUJfT, OUOOK

lra s. Allllon Proteaaor ot Oeolo&r oreson State Ooll•a•

&Ad

Ralph s. lf&aon lq1neer Depart••n� ot G•olocr and Klneral Iadu1triea

. . •.

State Oonl"1l1ftl Board

Riel R. Allen, Chairaaa •• Gru•• Pall S. R. 11llli�Oft • • • • • • • • • • • Por•land

&. a. Uao.augb�on • • • • • • • • Por•laad

r. W. J.1bbe,. Direotor

Pr1oe 15 hnt• FOREWORD

Sodiu• salta are baa1o raw materials in American induatrr. Inoreaae in industrial activity, especially in the ohe•ioal field, ••ana increased de•and tor these salta. Por example, lars• quanti­ ties ot are required in makins aluminum, glass, pulp and paper, , cauatio and bicarbonate, textile•, and softeners, to sive a partial list. The increased demand tor aodiu• carbonate in the•• industries is reflected in the interest beins shown in possible new aouroea ot the natural salta.

Laok ot railroad transportation facilities has been a pri• mary obataole in development of Oregon•• deposita of sodiu• salta in Lake County, but with the present need tor production in the Horth• west, and the increased efficiency ot trucking, this obstacle becomes leas formidable.

As time and personnel allowed, the Department baa carried on an investigation of sodium salta in Lake County. Dr. Ira s. Allison, proteaaor ot geolo17 at Oregon State Collese, who cooperated in the work and la the senior author or the report, has been studying oertaln features of the seology of south central Oregon over a period or years. Rla experience baa been valuable to the Department in this study.

the acoo•panylng report is designed to supply tactual intor­ •atlon on the occurrences. !he need tor such a report is shown by the large number or inquiries concerning possible aouroea ot aodiu• salta received b7 the Depart••nt, ••peoially during the past two years.

r. w. Libbey Director CONTENTS

Introduction • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1

Suaaer Lake

General �elation• 1 Coapoaition ot Suaaer Lake watora 1

su-er Lake pla,ya • • • • • • • • • • • . . . . '

Saapllog and reault• • • • • • . . . . ' 4 Poaaible recovery or etfloreaoent aalta • • • •

Abert Lake 4 General relation• • • • • • • • • • • • ......

Coapo•itlon ot Abert Lake watera •••• • • • • • • • 4 Ab•rt Lake plara .uda and eftloreao•no•• ...... 1 ...... •••• '1

Alkali Lah

Oen•ral relation• • • • • ...... 1 8 Ooo&&rrenoe or alkali ealh . . . . . • • Coapoaltlon or Alkali Lake ...... 8 Ooapoaltion of tho depoa1te4 ealta ...... • • '

au.nU�y at "potholt" aod41. -.Y&!h.bh •• 11

Qloaaary or oheaioal ter•• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11

BlbliographT • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • l2

lLLUSTRATlOICS

1 • Index aap abowins looation ot su.. er, Abert, and Alkali lakea, Lake County, Oreaon • Oppoeite pace 1

2 - Aerial photograph ot Alkali Lake plara .. .. 1

• • 3 - Tlewa ot typical "pothole•" • • • • ••••• 11

TABLES

• • . • 1. Anal,-.. • or Suaaer Lake water a ...... 2 2. &n&ly•l• or aalu tro• sua1111· Lake plA,7& • . • • • • .)

,). Analyau ot Abert Lake water• . • . • 5

4. Analyala ot Abert Lake playa aalta • . . • . . . . • 1 8 5· Analyala of Alkal1 Lake brine • • • • • • . . • • • 6. .tnalyaea or or;ratall1ne aalta troa Alkal1 Lake . • • ' LAPINE ·-·-·-· -- �·� ·-·� -·-·- ·-·-

1. I

SCALE

� 0 5 10 15 20 25 Miles >-1 E+! E3 � .... �,. >- z.... oul·=> .o U :x:I ..... �lw �·� Alkali ��� -'·-' Lake �I a: I a: V) I L-·-·-·-·-·� '-· I I Chewaucan Marsh I Lake I

Upper Klamath Lake

Goose Lake

Plate Index map showin� location d Summer, Abert, and Alkali lakes, Lake County, Ore�on. INTR ODUC TIOH

S�•••r, Abert, and Alkali lake• are alkaline lakel whleh occ�py fault-block dtpreeelonl in the hilh laTa plain• or •o�th central Ore1on (Platt' 1). The 1•olog;r of the rtsion hal been dtloribed* by R�•••ll (1884), larins (1?08), Saith (�?26), and othtrl. Theee alkaline laktl art I�OCtiiOrl1 but ptrhapl not direct dtiOtndantl1 Of a�oh larser, deeper laktl Of late Plelatooene tlat (All1ton, 1?45; Meinzer, 1?22; Ruteell, 1884; Iarina, 1?08). Perohed beaohe•, wave-out olltta, terraoea, and other thor• teatur•• atand •• auoh a1 250 to 350 tee1 abo•• the preaent •horea.

The pOIIible ut111zat1on or the alkali•• or thea• lakll hal been oonlid•rtd •••eral tiaea (Galt, l?l6J Phalen, l?l?)o The P1ar1on lngint•ring Corporation ot London explored Alkali Lake Juat before lorld War I but did not be11n prod�otion. The Amtrioan Soda Prod�ota Company, San rranoitoo, obtained a patent on 5320 ao r•• or the Alkali Lake. playa in 1'18 aad ttlll holda title. The otber lakee are on publlo land, the lesal 1tat�• of whioh 1• �noertal al both the State and the United Stat•• olaia title. � eaall b�t unknown tonnas• hae been hauled out by truck troa Alkali Lake tro• tlae to ti•• and aarketed tor waabins aoda. A plan dealsned tor •olar t'#aporation ot water puaped out ot Suamer Lake wal ••tablieht4 at the eout end or Suaaer Lake in 1?16, but �· wentur• wa• not IQoo•••tul. So tar aa kDown no atteapt ha• been ..de •• produoe aaita troa Ab•r• Lake, altbo�sb Yan Winkle (1,14) reported tbat preparation• for reoowerlnc aalt, aoda, and borax wer• in progress ln 1?12.

Renewed lntere•t in alkali•• &Ad prod�otion or in the Paoitlo Jorthweet reoentl7 proapted the Or•gon Departaent ot Otology and Mineral Ind�etritl to aak• turt her etudiea. A brief •oonoa io rewlew wa• aade by Stafford (1?),). The pretent. paper it baetd upon field work done aainly in Ausuet and ep S tember 1'44. Sevaral new analy••• art reported herein.

SUMMER LAKI

G•neral Relation•

Suaaer Lake oover• an area ot about ?0 1q�ar• •11•• at high water ltas•• but thrlnk• to about halt th�t 1111 durins dry leaaona. the lake hal no outlet• ao itt elzt and depth ohaa,e troa year to year and fro• •oa•on to •ea•on aooordins to ohanse• ln balance between lntlow and na.poratlon. It• eltYatlon in Septeab er 1?·44 wu 4la.6 rut. 1t1 aTtrase depth il 1••• than 10 feet and •o•t or the lake bed 11 nearly flat. At low water 1tage1 a 1alt� enor�•ted, •un•craeked playa extend• ower tent or •quart all•• Ju•t outtldt the lake proper.

Analyau ot water tro• Suamer Lake (Table 1) •how- that the water• are 10lut1on• aalnly ot todlu• carbonate, •odlu• bicarbonate, and •odi�• ohloride, with minor quantit111 ot e�l· phate, pota1h1 and lllioa. The abltnot ot'calo1�• and aasneelua 1• noraal (Clarke, 1?24, P• 160, 180). the total lallnlty found In Septeaber 1?44 (2.8? perc en t by weight) wa• nearly double that in February 1?12, but ••• •till low in ooapari1on with 7 to 21 percent in OWen• Lake (Clarke, 1?24, p. 162) or about 33 pereent in Searl•• Lake (Gale, 1?1,, p.l?l) in Calitorn1a.

the aoderate 1allnlty of certain lake• in the Great Baeln ltd Gilbert (1882, 18?0), Ru•••ll (1885), and Van Winkle (1,14, p. 118) to •ucgott that theee lakel formerly had dried �P ooaplete1y and depoe1ted their prtviou• load• ot 10lublt talte. On the batle ot the vol�•• and eoapolltion ot the influent watera and the aiiUald rate ot tYaporat1on in �elation to the concentration and area or the preeent lake wat•�•, Van Winkle (1?14, p. 123) oalculated that Summer and Abort lake• haTe been accumulating eoluble oalta again tor a period ot about 4,ooo year•.

-a.r.-r;;;;;. ::; -;tth:-.;;d;;ih .-;..;;r:- -1- T&bh 1. Analyaea or Suaael' Lake la.tel'a (gl'ama pel' kilogl'aa)

1 2 3 4

N�C03 14.67 6.01 12.4) )o-2).46!1I NaBC03 f.l 6.7# ).61� 5·0� NaCl ').27 6. :n 1+.58 8.84

Na so 2.15 1.82 1.0) 1.6') 2 4

ICCl 1.36 1.07 • 51 .68:./

MO) n.d. n.d, tl'aoe n.d.

S10 .2') .10 .2) 2 .27

Ca, .... ,. tl'aoe n.c!.

u .02 n.d.

fotal dh· 36·55 )2.')5 18.06 28.')0 aol••d aol1da

!I Total carbonat•• a• Na co 2 3 !/ By d1ttertnoe !/ K S� 1natead of ICCl 2 Analyaea 1, 2, and J recalculated fl'oa analyaea publ1abed by lalton Van 11nkle, U.S. Geol. Sui'Yey latti'•Supply Papel' )6J, p. 11')-120.

1. October 2, 1')01, by Stillwell and Gladding. 2. 1')02, by E. !. Duable tol' Southtl'n Paoitio Ooapany. ). Collaoted 1n February 1')12 by I. o. Haraen; analyaia by I. Van llnkle. 4. Colleoted in Septeaber 1')44; analyal• by L. L. Hoagland, Oregon Dept. Geology and Min. Ind.

Ne burled aaaa ot depeaited aalta, either aa a thick acl1d body al' al thin aheeta inter• atratir1ed with lake auda, h&a been round 1n the baa1n, although well•dl'illel'a in aearoh ot al'teaian water baye penetl'ated the lake aed1aenta in plaoea to deptha of aeYel'al hundred t .. t (or coul'ae, eute1de the pl'eaent a&l'gin or Suaael' Lake). The lack ot a aaaa ot aalta ooa­ aenaul'ate with that to ba expected troa tho eYaporatlon et torael' pluY1al lakea la probably the reault er ••••ral tactora: (1) aaall ai&e et the dra1nac• baaln, (2) Yolcan1c country rooka, (J) •••1·ar1d cliaate, (4) youthtuln••• ot the lake, (5) d1atr1but1on or aoluble aalta throuaheut the lake audl, (6) depealtl po•a1bly concealed beneath the preaent lake, and (7) r••••al or aalt• b7 deflation.

The low aal1n1t.y or Su•••r Lake watera haapera their u•• aa a aource or aoda. S ummer Lake Playa

SAmpling and re•ult•

Both the •urfaoe ef!loreecence1 and the underlyi�g muds were lampled. Three areae, m carefully o or l each of 25 1quare teet, were eaeured and 1oraptd lean all e!t oreeoent 1alts. ma a l thue taken then i h m l with Th� teri up wae we g ed and analyzed. The three ea p • • their i of natural aoi•turt weighed 4.72, 4.84, and 7.84 pounds, relpeot vely, which the 1oluble 1alt1. when. reduced to the anhydrou• state formed 27, 2?1 and 41 percent by wei&ht, Baled on the average or theee three lamplee, tho oru1t1 weigh 4.76 ton• per acre, or about about ),000 ton• per· equare 11ile, and average )6 percent anhydroue lalta. Most or the nt r tton dlfterenol between the yleld1 etated aDd 100 perc e represent• water or o yltall1%a or trona, •irabllite, or other hydrous n A ..11 natron, •i eral s . very . part ie ineoluble matter.

or Tho ohemioal compo1ltton the ertloroeoent 1alt1 on the playa or Suaaer Lake il A lhown in Table 2, The aaln constituent i• sodium carbonate. theoretical mixture or b t nt a ou 4) percent natron, 16 percent trona, 1? perce thermonatrite, and 12 percent or t r mtnerall would meet but o he the rtqulrtmtntt or the analy11a, other oomblnatlona.are poulble.

u.a l or The S�aamer Lake playa muda were p ed by mean• 2- and )·ll:lOh '"Iwan" 1011 all&Orl. Ho t l at tour le• to a lnc 55 t eet were bored wldtly 1paoe d point•. One hole on the welt 1lde or the put o n first to 12 t 1 t with a uce . Then a i noh bailer, lake wal d w e J·lnch a r l -t Dillt l ot i fi d OO in a 4-tott IIOtion Of galvan zed pipe tte with a ball Ohtok•Valve, Wal l&led he bailer with a rope. l b to deepen the holt by Jounoinc t A t o�agh the mud penetrated waa or quite eott, the hole did not oavt till fro• the bottom. saaple intervale ranged troa l o 11artaoe to at a taken to 6 n hel near the 1 er 2 teet depth. Care w • avoid 1�artaoe oon• time the all&er wae i l , bro�aght to the ll&rfaoe, taminatlon. laoh t l ed and cleaned, a len­ t l a removed wltb the aid at a gl ud nal tlioe or the o�attinge w • ot a lp ul and eaved a1 a 1aaple. Sample• immediately in Saaplel from the bailer neoe11arily were tl�aid a�ada. wert placed r t eo ew- op pint Jar• with label• taped on the covers.

Table 2. Salta Analylil of troa S�aamer Lake Playa (in percentage• by weight)

1 2

Na2co3 70.80 35·54

5.01 NaHco3 ,,45

aCl N 12.12 6.4)

. 1 Na s� 7-83 4 2 5 S 1(2 ot. 1.64 .87

later of ·-·· crystallization 46.ooY

Toto.l 101.84 100.00

!J By dittoronco

l. C i or 3 oapoe to 1aaplee averaging 54 percent soluble • �n anhydroua etate ) , t b ln ly by L. State Ind. to.ken Sop ea er 1?44. a aia L. Hoagland, Dept. Geology and Kin. 2. Same, reco.loulated to percentage• or original composite aaap1e.

- 3 - Upon analyeie tho eolublo ealt content ot tho playa -ud• waa tound to door•a•• in ono raprtaantatiwo aaotion troa 7 poroant {roduoad to anhydroue etato) in the top 6 1�oh•o,

to 4 poroont in the tooond 6 inohot, J poroont in tho aooond foot, and to 2 poroont or 1••• at a depth ot 7 toot. All ot tho .ud• totted oarrio� at loaat 1 poroont aolublo

•�lta {on anhydroua baa1a). Such low oonoentrationt •••• to eli•inate the pl'1& .uda tb••••l••• aa dlreot, oo••orcial aourooa ot alkaline aalta.

Poaa1blo raoowory ot ettloroacont aalt•

Tho poaaibility ot roooworing aolubla alkali •alta tro• tho aurtaoo ottloroaoonoea doaorwoa ••ntion. Such a propoeal onwiaiona the harwaating ot the ottloroacont talta aa

an annual orop with tho &14 of toae t1p• or toraper, revolving bro••, or auction apparatua, or oo•bination ot theao, and tho puritioation or the aalta at a plant looatod abo•• high­ water hYol.

Tho principal taotora btarinc on auoll an tntorpriat aro: (l) tho aoaaonal ezpoauro of tht pl&1& IUPtaot, (2) 'taporary tubaorctnoo and partial aolution of tho aalta oautod by tho abiftinc of su ..er Lake by tbo wind, ( )) low proapootiwt Jiold, porbape 5 tone por aort, (4) tho thin, triable or tlutt1 oh&raotor ot the ottloroaoonoo, (5) roaoY&l ot aalta

bJ atronc wind• in au.. or, (6) da•p, alippery .ud (underlying the oa1to) whioh would haapor

uaa or atohanioal equipaeat, (7) 1••• ef aalta in aud•oraoka, (8) prtaenoa or auaeroua ioe• rafted baaalt boulder• atrewn ower the pl�a, ( ') laok ot looal fuel ( ruel oil would be required), (10) lcQ& diatano• to aarkot (about 85 •ilea by truck plua 275 •11•• by rail to Portland, Or•con).

&von it a lfltta to� oollaot1nc ibe aalta could be worked out and a foaaibla aethod ot troat•ont and purification deviaod, within tho liaita or per•1aa1blo ooata, the other phyaioal and ooonoaio obataolaa roaain f•r•idabla. The principal praduota •ould be aodiua oarbonato and aadiu• ohlorld•, tho lattor at little value at that loo&tloa.

ABUT LUI

Gtnoral Ralat1ona

Abort Lako, tituatad at the •••t baao of tho Abort Ri• fault ooarp, oovora abo�\ 60 aquaro ailoa but unlike Su•••r Lake it hao relatiwoly little playa border, aiQOO •uoh or tho ahoro i• fairly ·�••p axoop� at tho narth end •horo a playa tlat af ••voral aquaro

•iloo carrioo tho uoual ottloroooonoo. Ita olevation 1• about 4250 foot. Tho lake 1o very ohall•• and baa no oatl••· It io reported to hawo dried up ooaplotolJ during tho aa ..or of 1'24. Tho concentration ot aalto diaaolwod in tho lake .arioa croatl7 dur1nc tho year, bain� nearly twioo aa croat dur1ac tho tall a• in tho apr1ng.

Coapoaition of Abert Lake Watora

Seven analy••• of water fro• Abert Lake are now avai}ablo, of •hioh flwo are giYOn ln Table ). Tho quantltloa of aodiua chloride range from 17 to )8 graaa per l1tor, aodlua earbonato fro• 6 to 22 g/1, and ood1u• bloarbonato troa 4 to 1) c/1. Quant1'i•• or dilaolwod aulphatea and other •inor conotituonta ar• aaall. fhe total d1aoolwed aolida range troa about Jl g/1 in tho •a•pla taken in robruary (1,12), to 67 �d 78 g/1 1n tho Noweaber (1,45) aaaploa. fh••• diftorancoa probably are attrib�tabla partly to aeaaonal variation• in the voluao of the lake, partl7 to long·rango Yar1at1ono, and partly to local var1at1ono produood by inflowlng etreaaa, apr1nca1 and aeopac••· Tho total oalinity ia about twioe aa auch al that of Suaaor Lake. In Abort Lake aodiua ohlorido conotitutoa about half of tho total diooolved •alta wheraaa in Sum•or Lake it forma only ona-tourth to ono•third. fho greater concentration in Abert Lake 1o duo in part to relative 1apovoriahaent at Summer Lake playa

-4- by deflation and consequent enrichment or Abert Lake by salts carried over tho drainage divide by the wind. A lo• gap between Summer Lake and t�e Chew�uoan River basin (trib­ utary to Abert Lake), lyin& direotly in the path or the prevailing northwesterly summer windo fao111tates euoh a transfer of ealts. The playa nLrth or Abert Lake 1s relatively emall and deflation losses undoubtedly are auoh lest there, so that addition• to the ealt oontent of Abort Lake are cuaulativt.

fable 3· Analyses or Abert Lake (in graas per liter)

1 2 3 4 5

Na co, 10.61 8.51 18.32 1?.08 22.53 2

NaHCO 4.87 ).76 6.5zY 11. 6 13.44 :) !/ 7 JlaCl 21.38 17.34- 28.61 32·54 )8.26 Ha2so4 l.OS .8, traoe 1.;36 1.66

Jla n.d. D.d. n.d. .2� .41 l� Jla 840 n.cl. n.d. lll..d. ·35 .41 2 7 KCl 1.0.3 .,8 1.24� 1.48 1.81

L1C1 n.d. n.d. n.d. n11 n11

Br n.d. n.d. n.d. .089 .070 2

12 D..d. n.d. n.d. .0002 .0004

S102 .2,3 .10 .)1 .23 .2)

Total dis- 3?.17 31·55 55·00 66.82 78.41 solved sol1d1

!/ By difference !( &2s� tnatoad or KCl

l. Average of two aamplu taken aidw-ay on the wut side or the lake, Septeaber 161 18871 T. K. Chatard, u.s. Geol. Survey Bull. 60, p. 55· 2. Collected February 1?12, troa south end or lake; reoalculated tro• analytil by w. Van Winkle, u.s. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 363, �· 11�-120. Two other analyeee given by Van Winkle show intermediate concentrations. 3· East edge or lake, September 4, 1�44. Graat per kilogram; recalculated troa analye1s by L. L. Hoagland, State Dept. Geology and Kin. Ind. 4 and 5· Taken by U. T. Greene and R. s. U&aon, NoveMber 17, 1?45, both tro• the oa•t edge of the 1•ke; no. � near the aouth end and no. 5 north or the center. Ana1yeea b7 w. P. S•ith•s Laboratory, Painesvil1e, Ohio.

-5- SCALE

1 MILE Oc:===I/.E===I� :r/=2===3::J/.::� ==::::::3

N

J '.-

• I.

Plate 2 Aerial photograph of Alkali Lake playa, Lake County, Oregon, showing distribution of "potholes" containing soda ash. Ettloreaoencea Abert Lake Playa UUda and

a .. One hole )0 teet deep waa bored and pled 1n the aiddle or the pl�a at tbe north end or Abert L&ke. Essentially the aaae conditione exiat there aa at Suaaer Lake, The aa a thin surface enoruatationa contained )� percent aoluble salta (on an an�droua b i ), or 8 but the aalt oontent the aubaurtaoe auda waa round to deoreaae rapidly troa ptroent in tho t1rat toot to 4 perotnt at a depth or 12 teet, and to only 1 poroont at )0 teet,

Tht choa1oal ooapoa1t1on or the ettloreaotnt aalta it �ivan in Table 4.

Table 4. ot Analyt11 Abert Lake Pl&¥& Salt• (in peroentac•• by weicht)

1 2

�a2co3 78.,5 :n.55

llaBCO .6o .24 )

RaCl 15·55 6.21

Nez Sot. 1.11 .44 �Sot. l.lfo. ·56 r# H20 n.4. 61.o

Total ,7.61 100.00

!/ By 4itterenoe.

1. Platy turtaoe ettlorucenoe, 1/16 inob thiolt, taken troa the tlat beyond the north end or Abert Lake, Septtaber 4, U44; total soluble aaltt (dehydrated) )? percent. Ana1yda by L. L. Ho&&land, State Dept. Otolo&r and Min. Ind. 2. Saae, reoaloulated to peroentase or or1s1nal taaple.

The eoonoa1oa or producing talt• rroe Ab•rt Lake art practically 1dtntioal with thole at Suaaer L&ke. A� atteapt neoUiar1ly would 1n;,.,lve evaporation or the lake waters. rh• low tulphate oonttnt or the water il favorable, but the low talin1ty and the high proportion ooa•on oy or 1alt or rtlatiYely little value are not. The high coat• or reo erin& tho 1alt• and or tranaport1n& thea to aarket are ertective deterrent• •

LAKE .&LUl.l

Alkali Plate 1a t a Lake ( 2) no perennial lake like Suaaer and Abert L�k••, but a pl'ta water instead, covered with only during wet aeaaona. Its elevation ia about 4245 teet above level Ita dratn.. t e>overa sea and ita area it about � square ail••· tributary ge ba in about no )00 square ailea, but there art peraanent ttreaaa in the area. Under the pluvial oliaate ot waa Ple1atootnt the the basin held a large lake which at ita highest atage about 275 teet dup.

-7- Ooeurrenoe of Alkali Salt•

The 1oda deposits at Alkali Lake occur both a• widelpread, thin ertloreeceat oruste like thole at Su�mer Lake aad a• crystalline 1alt1 and brine• in •o-oalled "pothole•"· Theae "pothole•" (Plate )) range from eaall roundilh depreaaioaa in the pl�a aurrace a few inohe• deep and a few feet ¥1�• to depree1ioae 1everal feet deep and 20 to � teet or more in dlaseter, Soae or the •malleat baa1nl are barren or 1oda; other• contain la&ll ooree or oryetalline soda at the oeater, either at the eurtaoe or in the .ud a Cew inohea below the aurraoe. The large1t "pothole•" oontaln aaa•e• or ory1talllne IOdlua 1alt1 that oooupy aoet or each basin aad weigh e&ny tone. Coring teats reveal that theee aalte are thlokeat ln the aiddle and thla gradually toward the edge•. Suoh lea••• extead approxl­ aately to the ri•• or the baaiaa where their outer edge• usually are concealed in a Coot or aore or aort, dark, 1tio� .ud, The central parte or the aoda len••• are generally expoeed, Ia -a.r ot the "po�holea" the water-level in Sephaber 1!144 wa• at the top of the leneee oC IOdaJ ia othera1 water a Cew inohee deep overl� the eoda1 and 1a a Cow placee open pool• or water a few teet in diameter and a root or two deep occupied the center• or the "pothole•". Suoh open water contained ·oryetal •ht•h, evidently ia prooe•• or oryatal­ U:&ation, On Way 25, 1!146, ao water re11ained in the•e "pothole•" and the eoda wal dry. The 1oda 1••••• are partly coTered with .ud washed down by raln• troa the •ldel or the "potholee••, and liailar aud laye.. a ocour within the •oda len••• th••••l•••·

The origin or the "pothole•" prueat• aa interutlaa problea. Poa1ibl7 th•t weJ"e iaiti­ ate4 a• arteeian lp�inc pit• and a1eociated acunde on tho lake bed, and later aoditied by the pre••ure or ory1tal crowth, by ralnwaah, and by deflation ot �ry ealte troa �he r1••·

fhe top �rt• or the aod& len"• in the 11pothol••" are tine-gJ"ained and laainated, apparen�ly •• a re•ult or interaittent d•po•1tion or the carbonate 1alt1 b7 evaporation or 1tandin1 aurraoe wate.. ,. Tbe interior portion• are relativel7 aa••ive and coar•e· gl"ained, either rroa priaary oryetal growth or troa rec.. yltalllzation. Coar•• oryatal•, 1everal inohe• lona, extending into the underlying and borderlna aort aud•, probably were toraed in titu by or.r•tal ,.. owth troQ eaturated •olutlona.

Phy11oal1 optical, and ohemieal propert1tl indicate that the bulk or the ory1ta111ne aaterlal i1 na�ron (Ka2co3 • 10 H2o). Colo�le•• ory•tala reaoved fro• the br1ne• and ex­ po•ed to the 1un undergo deh7dration and •oon begin to oruable to a white powder•. A 1aaple or well•developtd oryatal1 troa one or the pool• yielded J) percent anhydrou1 salts; the theoretioal �i•ld or Ua 2co3 troa pure natron il 37 percent. A &le or the surface oru•t• outeide the MpotholeM yielded 26 percent, and the aott, brown aaterial ot •and7 or granulaJ" texture iaaediatel7 underneath the crult yielded 18 pert�en·t (both weighed a• anhydrou1 •altt).

Compoe1t1on or Alkali Lake Brine

The oheaioal character or the brine i• shown in fable 5·

fable 5· Analytit or Alkali Lake Brine!/ (in graa• per kilo4raa)

Na2co3 178.02 nil NaHCOJ JiaCl 76.15

Na2so4 65.0!1 K2S

Si02 2,8, Total dh- eo lved soUda J47·7r)/

!/ Saturated brine tr0110 a "pothole", taken September 4, 1?44; specific gravity l,JIIJ. 4naly•1• by L, L. Hoagland, State Dept. Geology and U1n. Ind. � Deteralned directly; not a aum�tion. iH=t;o; lo;.; 5 H20 :t-34•-c7 -,;,; 7.),-a-��m;e;atu;e-r�a;h;d-alm:a; dall; ln-.�;.;­ at th1• locality (in the air, but or eourae not ln the evaporating pool•). -8- Tho b�inos r�o• �bo "po�holoa" aro aatnly ot eodiua �·�bonate, eodtu• ohlor1de, and eodiu• sulpha�•, and eubo�dina�oly ot a potaeetu• salt. Solutions which aooped into a 17-toot hole 1n ono hour and into an 6-toot hole overnight, both bo�od 1n Ho•oabor 1�45, in \he bot�o• or a "po�bole" troa wh1oh the •olid aalt• had �oon roaovod in Sopto•bor 1?45, were round to contain onl7 4).8 and 6,.4 4Taae po� liter, �eapectl•ely, ot total di11olved solids. lhe low salinity and the betttr ehowin& or tho owern1sht eaaple euggoot p�ogroea1Y& or salta rro• the playa .uds by oo�parativoly fresh undo�sround watero. Further testa are nooded to dot•�•ino tho rate or roJlen1ehment ot salts in wo�k•d out "pothole•" and tho teaa1- bllity or obtaining oo.. o�o1a1 brines fro• we11• o� rroa a euap.

A aeries ot analyse• ot tho surraoo o�u•t• on tho playa flat and or tho oryetalllne salta in tho "pothole•" at Alkali Lake 11 given in fable 6. 1'ho hiah poroontaao or eodlua oarbonato 11 noteworthy.

Tho avorace oontont or 11a co 1n ono "pothole" wae round to be a'lleut 40 poroeat. 1'h1e owoa 2 3 oxoood1 tho thoorotioal yield or aatroa. Poroeatac•• or H& co (on an anhydrous bae1a) 2 3 la ox­ •••• or 37 poroont, howowor, are poeltblo, both on aooouat or partial dohyclratton or dry natron under a hot eun and by roaeoa ot the proaoaoo or other aoda-be�iaa a1norala auob as trona • • (Ha co NaHCO) o) or theraoaatrito (Na co • H o), which oonta1a only about 16 and 2 3 2 a2 2 3 2 14.5 porooat. wat.o� oaah. !he low po�oaataa•• ot N&HCO-' 1a �o aaalyaea do aot po�ait -oh trona. 1'ho bulk or tbo aahrial aooordiq to tbo &Aaly.. a .uet bo natroa, aoro or leu dehydrated by oxpoauro, and other eod1ua oarboaatoe.

Table 6. U&lyaoa ot Cryetall1ao Salta troa Alkali Lako (in poroon�•• by weiCbt)

1 2 )a )b ,. )d ,. 4 s

"'.'1 4).)5 )8.,0 ,,.4, 4o.,l 18.4.. k2co3 7·53 5'·00 35·83

NaRco 4.64 ,.,2 nil nU 2.01 1.00 .67 ·74 1.44 3

HaCl 5· )0 ).67 1.07 1.,, 1.4� 1.22 1.72 1.4, ).27

).07 2.49 1. 1.92 1.)) .,1 ·17 1.2, 1.72 Na2so4 S4

Ha P'\ .4) p.d. .11 .o, .12 .11 .10 .11 .16 ) Na a o .62 d. .14 .10 2) .14 .07 .14 .24 2 4 7 a. . !1 JCCl 1.48 1.01 .)6 .)) ·74 .45 ·'7 .45 .a,

L1Cl 1\11 a.d. aU nll nil nU aU nil nil

• OO)) • Br2 n.cl .0018 .oo1o .0016 .00078 .00052 .oon .00052

1 .0001 a. d. .0002 .ooo4 .0001 .0001 .0001 .0002 .0001 2 Sio .21 a. d. .o8 .o8 .21 .18 .14 .20 2 .1,

Innlubh n.d. D.d.. .02 a. d. n.d. ft..d. a. d. n.d. )/ Ditroreno 54.00 5).3) 42.55 54.97 6o.16 62.65 54.n

Total 2).28 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 26.)6

!f l S0 instead or ICCl 2 4 � Eeeont1a1ly wator or cry•ta111tat1oa ud a 11ttlo insoluble aat,or

Analyaee 1, ), 4, and 5 by 1. P. Smith•• Laboratory, Pa1noav1llo, Ohio; No. 2 �•calculated tro• an analy•1• by L, L. Hoasland, State Dept. Oeology and W1n. Ind. (Explanation or ea�plo• oontlnuod on paso 11) -�- -

. ------,.

Plate 3 Views of typical "potholes" containing solid sodium carbonate, Alk•H Lake, Lake Countr, Oregon. (Continued rroa pace 9)

1. Surtaoe cruata, Hoveabar 1?45. 2. Coapoeite or three aamplee repreaenting the top two teat or aolid aalte in a

•potholeM, Septaaber 4, 1?44. 3. Lena or aalta in a "pothole", Hoveabar 1945; (a) top 3 inch .. ; (b) 3 to 6 inohu; 2 (o) 6 to 18 inoh .. ; (d) 16 to 22 inch .. ; (e) 2 to 28 inot:... 4 . Avarago or 3a to 3e inolueive. Saaple rroa depth or 42 inohea in aaae Mpothole• a• Mo. 3· 5·

Que.nt1ty ot "Poth<>lo" Soda .lva1lablo

ln an area or one aore aeaaure4 orr in tho aidat or a large number ot •ell·develope4 "potholoa"1 detailed aeaeuroaonte and oaloulationa revealed 4? •potholea• oontaininc a�out 28,700 oubie teet or about 1200 tone or aodiua •alt• (arter •akina allow�oe• tor included aud and water). One aroa or 28 acres include• 1007 "petholea". Thle tract oonta1na an

utlaated pr01peot1ve 7hld or. lo,ooo to 15,000 ton• or hiah·srade aoda. The to..,l area or "potholoa" ia not known exaotl7 but 1• thought to ranse betwoon 200 and 400 acroe. Tho quantit7 or loda in light, tborororo, �ppearl to be or the order or at leaat 75,000 and perhapt 200,000 ton••

Although hundreda or aorea or the plqa were ozaa1ned, aoda•bearing •potholoa" were round only 1n on• g•n•r�l ..,.,... &at1�toa baaed on the total area or the lake tlat, there• tore, are a1ele�d1ng. The w1deapread e!tloreaoenoea, to be sure, do weigh eeveral tone to the acre, but aa with aiailar oruata on Suaaer Lake playa, apeoial aethoda (or doubtful

eoono�) or gatherlns and treating thea would have to be daviaed.

Additional ttudiet or the "pothole•", the rate ot rer1111ng attar reaoval or aerohant• able eoda, the po11lble ut111&ation or brinel, and related aattera are being ..de. The data alraadr at hand ahow the prelenoe of a aodeat quantit7 of readily available, high•srade eoda at Alkali Lake.

GLOSSARY or CHEIIICAL TERMS

• .ll alua1nua Ka co .a o - 2 3 2 eodiuM carbonate (Tbarllonatrite) Br - broa1ne 2 Ma2co .JaBco .2H 0 -.neutral and ao1d Pe - 1ron 3 3 2 aod1ua oarbonate (trona) 12 • 1od1ne x. co .loH 0 • 2 3 2 natural aod1u� carbonate XCl - potautua .olllor1de {Matron), washing •oda

IC co - potaaa1u.a carbonate (potaah) Ma.Hco - 2 3 3 aodiua bicarbonate (bak1nl aoda) x2so4 • potat•1ua au!phate .,,�- aodiua phoepbate

L1Cl - 11th1ua oblor1de - IOC:1ua M&z SOIJ •ulphate

S1o • 2 ail1oa, e111con d1ox1de

Na s o - •od1ua tetraborate 2 4 7

MaCl - 1odlua obloride {common •alt)

Ma co 2 3 - 1odiua carbonate, anhydroue, (aoda a•b)

-11- BIBLIOOIUPBT

A1Uooa, Ira S.

1'�5 Pu•loo bodo •' Suaaor Lako, Oro,oa: Qool. ��o. A•orioa Bull. 5,, •• 7'1·7,4.

Oale, Roy� s. 1,16 Po�aoh: u.s. O.ol. SQrye7 Mlaoral aooourooo, 1'15, pt. t, p. 101-108.

Ul' Searloo L&ko: U.s. Oool. Surwo7 lull. '''• p. 1'4-174.

Ollbor�, o. JC. 1882 Coatrlbutioao to tho blotor7 of L&ko loDDoT111o : u.s. Oool. Surwo7 ADa. Ropt. 2, P• 177•178.

L&ko •oDAoYl11oa u.s. O.o1. Sur••7 Moao. 1, P• 253.

Map·oC \bo P1o1otoooao 1akoa oC \bo laaia•aad•Raaco Prowtaoo aad lta o1CDlfloaaoo: Ooo1. Soo. Aaorloa Bull. 33, P• 541·552.

Raoao11, 1. c. 1884 A coolocloal roooaaalooaaoo la aou�bora Orocoa: u.s. Geol. larwo7 Ana. lop�. 4, •• . 4,1�.

1885 O.Olocloal biator1 or L&ko Lahoa�, a Quato�aary 1&ko or aortb.ootora lowa4aa O.S. Oool. Sur?o7 Moao. 11, p. 224•2)0.

P�olo&1 ... OOOQOalo 1oo,rapb7 Of Orocoa; \bo oOGthO&OtOPD 1ako d1otrlotl VD1Y• Oro1oa Coaaoaw .. ltb RoTlow, .ol. 8, P• 1,,.253·

SWford, O. P. u" ProUal-P7 roport upoa Oro1oa oaUao lakoa: Oroaea Dopt. O.olou aael Mln. laduotrloo Short Papor ••· 11 p. 1•4. faa 11Dklo, laltoa 1'14 Gaallt7 or tho ourtaoo ••�••• or O�ocoa: u.s. Ooo1. Surwo7 lator-Suppl7 Papor "'' P• 11�-115, 117-12).

Goolocr aael wator rooourooo of a portloa or aoutb-ooatral Orocoa: u.s. Oool. Suryo7 lator•SupplJ Papor 220, P• 1•66.

----·.. ·····----- PUBLICATIONS

State Department ot Geology and Mineral Induatriea, 702 loodlark Building, Portland 51 Oregon BULLI!INS Prioe poatpald 1. Wining lawa ot Oregon, 1942, rev. ed,, oontaina federal placer •ining regulation• • , • • $ 0.20 2. Prosreaa report on Cooa Bay ooal field, 19)6: P.I.Libbey • , • , ••, • , , • 0.10 3• GeoloSY of part of the Wallowa Yountaina, 19)6: C.P.Roaa • , • • • • , • • • 0.50 4, Quicksilver in Oregon, 1936: C.H,Sehuette • , • , , • , , • • • 0.50 5· Geological report on part of the Clarno Basin, 19)8: Donald K. MacKay • • • • (out or print) 6. Prelia. report on some ot the retraotory olaya ot western Ores.119)8: lilaon a Treaaher • (out ot print) 7• The sea ainerala ef Oregon, 1938: H.C.Dake • • • • • • • • • • ••• • • • • (out or print) 8. Pea$ibility or ateel plant in lower Columbia area, revised edition, 1940: R.M.Miller • • 0 . 40 9· Chre�ite depealta in Oregon, 1938: John il1ot lllen • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0.50 10. Placer minine on Rogue River in relation to fiah and tiahing, 1938: H.B.•ard • • • • (out or print)

11. Geology and mineral rasouroee ot Lana County, Oregon, 1938: Warren D. Smith • • • • • • • 0.50 12. Geology and phyeiography or northern Wallowa Uta,, 1941: I.D.Smith, J.E.Allen, et al 0,65 1). 7irat biennial report of the Department, 1937-38 •• , ••••••••• , , , , , ••• (out ot print) 14, Oregon ••tal mines handbook: by the staff 1. Baker, Union, and lallowa Counties, 1939 , ••• , , . . . (eut er prlat) B. Grant, Morrow, and Umatilla Countiea, 1941 . . . . • • • o. 50 c. Vol. I, Coos, Curry, and Douglas Counties, 1941 • . . • (out ot print)

Vol. II, Seot1on 11 Jbaephine County, 1942 ••, , • . . . • (out or print) Section 2, Jackson County, 1943 ••• ...... o.7s 15. Geology or Salam Hilla and North Santiam river basin, Oreg.11939: f,p,fhayer (•ap only) , 0.25 16. Pield identification of minerals for Oregon prospector• and collectors, aecond edition, 1941: compiled by Ray c. Treaaher • , • , • , , , , •••• . . (out ot prlllt) 17, llanganeae in Oregon, 1'42: by the atarr , • • , • • , • • • • • • , , • • , , , , o.4s 18. Pirat aid to fosaila, er what to de before the paleentelegiat ooaea, 19)9: J,l.lllen • • 0.20 1,. Dredging or farmland in Oregon, 1939: P.I.Libbey , , • , , , , , • , , , , •• (out or print) 20, lnalysea and other properties of Oregon ooala, 1940: H.F.Yancey & Y. R.Geer • , •••• , (out or print)

21. Second biennial report ot the Department, 1939-40 • • • • , • , • , , • , • • • • • • • • Prae 23. Inveatigation of reported occurrence or tin at Juniper Ridge,oreg.11942: Harrison A lllen o.4o I.H.Twonhofel ••• 24, Origin of the black aanda ot the coast ot aouthweatern Oregoft, 1943: o.3Q 25. !hird biennial report or the Department, 1941-42 , , • , , , ••, , •••••••••• Pre a 26, Soil: Ita origin, destruction, and preaervation, 1'44: J.H.Twenbofel • , •••••••• o.4s 27. Geology l coal reeourcea or Cooa Bay quad., 1,��: John tllot Allen & Ewart u. Baldwin •• 1.00 28. Pourth biennial report ot the Depart•ent, 1'4)-44 ••••, • , , ••, •••• Pree 29. Perruginoua bauxite deposita ln N.I.Orecoa,1945: P.I.Libbey, I,D,Lowry, a R.S,Uaaoa • , • 1.00 30. Mineralogical and physical compoaition or the aanda ot the Oregon ooaat fro• Cooa B� to the aoutb or the Columbia River, 1,45: I.H.fwenhotel ••• , , ••••••••• 0.35 31. Geology or the St. Helena quadrangle, 1,46: W,D.Wllklnaon, I,D,Lowry, a I.U,Baldwin • •• o.4s • • • • )2o Plrth Blennlal fteport o� 'he Departaent, 1'4S-46 • , . . " ...... Pree G,M,I. SHORT PAPERS 1. Prel1ainary report upon Oregon saline lakea, 1'3': o.r.Staftord ••••••••••••• o.1o 2. Induatrial aluminum - a brief aurvey, 1'40: Lealie L. Uotz , , , , , • , •••••••• 0,10 3· AdT. report on eome quiokallvar proapecta 1n Butte Palla quad.10res.,l940: I.D.Iilkinaon (out ot priat) 4. Plotation ot Oregon limeatone, 1940: J,B,Clem�er a B.H.Clemmona , , , • • , • • •• , o.1o 5· Suryey ot nonmetallic mineral production ot Oregon tor 1940-4lt C.P.Holdredga • , •••• o.1o

6. Pllmloe and pum1c1te, 1941: Ja•e• A. Adame • , •••••••••••.• • , , , • , • , {out ot prla•) 7• Geologic hiatory or the Portl�ad area, 1942: Ray c. freasher •• , •••, , • 0.15 8, Strategic l critical minerals, a guide for Oregon prospectors, 19�2: Lloyd 1. Staple• •• (out ot print) ' · Some aanganeae deposita in the southern Orogon ooaatal region, 1942: Randall E. Brown •• o.to 10. lnveatigat1on or Tyrrell manganeae and other nearby deposita, 1'43: I.D.Lowry ••, , •• Or15 11. Mineral deposita in region or Imnaha and Snake rivera, Oregon, 1,43: P.I.Libbey • , •• • 0.15 12, Preliminary report on high-alumina iron orea in Washington County, Oregon, 1944: P, I. Libbey, 1f.D.Lowr71 a ft,S.Maaon •• , • , • , , , •• , • • • • • . . . . 0.15

Antimony in Oregon, 1944: Normaa s. lagner , ••• , , •• , •••, ••••••. . . . 0.15 Notes on building-block materials ot eastern Oregon, 1'46: Normaa S. lagner . . . 0,10 Reconnaiaaance s•ology ot limestone deposita in the lillamatte Valley, Oregon, 1946,

John Eliot Allon • • . ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • • 0.15 1,, Perlite Depaai�a near tbe Deaohutea RiTer, lauthern Wa•o• Caunt7, Oregon,l�': J,I.Allen o.1s 17. Sod1u. •alta ef �ke co.. _,, Orecaa,4 1, 7: Ira I. Alllaea a aalfk S. Massa • •••• • o O.lJ t.P,4o PUBLICATIONS (Cont.)

Prloo pol'tp&1d

OJCOLOOIC WAP SIRlES

1. Geologlo aap ot tho Wallowa Lake quadrangle, 1')8: I. D. S11l'th a Othore (&lao in Bull. 12) ••••••• • • • • • • $ o.45 2. Goolog1o aap or tho Modtord quadrangle- 1,),: r. G. Iolli a Othere o.4o ). Oooloaio .. p �d geologT ot tho Round Mountain quadrangle, 1,40: 1. D. lilkin•on a Oth•r• •••••••••••• 0.25 4. 01olog1o aap or the 8u�t• Falla quadranale, 1741: w. D. lilkln1on 6 Other• • • • • • • • • • • • • 5 • Geologlo aap and caolocr ot the Oranta Pall quadrangle, 1'40s

r. O. ••lle A Other• •••••••• ••••••••• • 0.3() 6. Prol1a1n&r7 goolaa1o aap er tho SUaptor quadrangle, 1'41: J. f. Pard•• 1: 0-tbera •••••••••••••• '· Oaoloalo aap or the Portl&Dd aroa, 1'42: RaJ c. froaahor • 8. Oeologlo aap or tho C••• Bay quadranal•, 1�4: J. E. Allen 6 1. M. la14wla (aold wlth �11. 27) ••••••••• Goolo&io aap ot tho St. Rolen• quadrana1o, 1�5: I. D. lllktnoen, w. D. Lowr71 a E. M. Baldwin (oold with Bull. )1)

WISCELLAHEOUS PUBLICATIONS

!HE OR£.•BIH: 1aaued ••nthly by tho ltart •• aodlua tor n••• about tho Dopartaent, alnea, and a1nora1a. Subaorlptlon prioo por 70ar

Oregon alneral looalltlee aap (22 x � lDOboa) 1'46 0.10 Oregon quloke11ver leoalltlel aap (22 x � lnohee) 1�. 0.25 Landtef•• et Oregon: a phyeloaraphlo akotob, {17 x 22 lnohee) 1'41 0.10

lndox to topograpbio aapplng in Oreaea. 1'46 • Proo

Indox te goologlo aapplng ln Oregon, 1'46 Proo

------········._......