evaporite
Dried-out mineral residue
Evaporite is a sedite deposit left behind when a body of water evaporates.
These mineral formations, which include rock salt, gypsum, and various potassium compounds, form in arid environments where evaporation exceeds water inflow.
The ancient evaporites in this region suggest it was once covered by a shallow sea.
Evaporite deposits are economically important as sources of salt, potash, and other industrial minerals.
Crystalline sodium chloride ore
- gypsumHydrated calcium sulfate
- anhydriteCalcium sulfate, no hydration
- boraxSodium borate compound
- potashAlkaline fertilizer compound
borates · chloride · sulfate · sodium · potassium · magnesium · calcium · crystallization
Dried lakebed in desert
- saltflatArid evaporite basin
- lagoonSheltered coastal shallows
- brineWater saturated with sodium
- hypersalineExcessively high salt concentration
arid · desiccation · basin · saltern · saltpan · mudflat · seawater · brackish
Formed from deposited material
- beddedSet firmly in place
- strataParallel geological layers
- formationCreation or arrangement
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
facies · sequence · basin · marine · stratification · outcrop · subsurface · petroleum
halite
Crystalline sodium chloride ore
potash · borates · chloride · sulfate · sodium · potassium · magnesium · calcium · crystallization · precipitation
playa
Dried lakebed in desert
hypersaline · arid · desiccation · basin · saltern · saltpan · mudflat · seawater · brackish · salinization
sedimentary
Formed from deposited material
deposition · facies · sequence · basin · marine · stratification · outcrop · subsurface · petroleum · caprock
evaporiteigneous rock
Crystallized molten material
metamorphic rock · volcanic rock · coal · limestone · sandstone