Recent Discovery of secondary Mineral Deposit in an Idaho Lava Tube

Secondary mineral deposits of gypsum, mirabilite, thenardite, and cristpbolite have long been known and, in fact, are quite common in the lava deposits tubes of southwest idaho. Until recently, calcium carbonate were only found in a few tubes in very small amounts and were though to be quite rare. The recent ‘rediscovery’ of Henlen's Hidden Hide -A way lava tube has significantly changed this thinking. The deposits in the lava tube are not only quite extensive but extremely varied in structure. As this is a very recent discovery, only basic preliminary work will be presented in this paper. It is hoped this will stimulate interest for further and more intensive study of the lava tubes of southwestern idaho.