Credit

Caption

Borax-rich soil. View over saline (salt-containing) soil containing a high proportion of borax at a salt pan in the Mojave Desert, USA. Borax is a white, monoclinic crystalline mineral composed of hydrated sodium borate. It forms during solar evaporation of saline water bodies, such as lakes and desert salt pans (as seen here). It is the main source of boric acid, which is used as a cleaning product. Photographed near Shoshone, Mojave Desert, California, USA.