On the submarine volcanic origin of rock-salt deposits

Abstract

From the foregoing treatment it is clear that though some salt deposits may possibly have been formed by simple precipitation in sea or lake waters, brought about by evaporation, lixiviation or by desiccation process, the formation of most of the principal salt deposits of the world is brought about by intra-tectonic submarine igneous activity in geosynclinal basins. This theory satisfactorily accounts for the various characteristics- chemical, structural, associational and distributional shown by most rock-salt deposits. If we now extend the scope of this theory, we can also apply it to the formation of certain other saline residues particularly the Borate and the Nitrate deposits, such as those of Chile, which show many characteristics in common with rock-salt.