Trona 2006

Field Trip to
Trona, California
October 2006

The eagerly awaiting standers-by

Arrival at Searles Lake. Awaiting the commencement of the "Blowhole" demonstration.

Workers position the 40 foot long pipe into the small hole.

The crowd is buzzing with excitement here on the dry lakebed.

Material from below is ejected out to the surface.

All these people here to dig through lake mud? Naw, some just come to watch.

Once the pipe reaches the bottom, the flow is turned off and there's a mad rush to collect crystals.

Hanksite fresh out of the blowhole.
KNa₂₂(SO₄)₉(CO₃)₂Cl - Sodium Potassium Sulfate Carbonate Chloride
In case you were wondering.

Yep, that's Hanksite.

After the blowhole festivities, we made a trip to the "Pinnacles".

These are neat formations of calcium carbonate (tufa) formed at the bottom of Searles Lake Basin. Some are up to 140 ft. tall.

It's a neat place to explore. There are over 500 pinnacles in the area.

Next morning it's off to the salt pools for Halite Hunting!

Some people are more likely to get salty than others.

It's a game of "Where's Waldo?" but messier.

Eventually we tire of the whole business and retreat to the Land Cruiser.

Several interesting specimens were found.

Most of what we find is the plain white salt crystal.

Of course the crystals are a bit larger than the ones you sprinkle about your food.