Borax Mining - Zabriskie Point - Death Valley National Park, CA
Posted by: 
jiggs11
N 36° 25.207 W 116° 40.739
11S E 528778 N 4030595
A US National Park Service interpretive sign discussing the history of borax mining in Death Valley.
Waymark Code: WMVG3N
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 04/14/2017
Views: 11
The sign is located at the Zabriskie Point overlook, originally constructed by the Pacific Coast Borax Company in 1930, three years before Death Valley became a National Monument.
Marker text reads:
Within the labelled deposits of the Furnace Creek Formation
are rich layers of Colemanite and Uluxite - minerals often
referred to as borax. Although borax was first discovered in a
recrystallized form on the salt flats, these original minerals
proved more profitable to mine. Starting in 1882, numerous
mining claim s were established near Ryan, Twenty Mule Team
Canyon and in Gower Gulch below Zabriskie Point. Use caution
around these unstable and dangerous mining areas.
Twenty Mule Team Wagons hauled borax out of Death Valley for
only 6 years in the late 1800's, yet are an enduring symbol of
both borax and Death Valley.
Mining in its more modern form has left huge open-pit and strip
mines further to the east near Ryan. Public outcry over this
high-impact activity led to passage of a law in 1976 which
closed the Park to prospecting and gave the National Park Service
more control over mining activity. privately-owned mining
claims still exist in the scenic landscape before you.
Group that erected the marker: National Park Service
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
Zabriskie Point
Death Valley NP, CA USA
92328
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Visit Instructions:
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