This is page 3 of 3.

So, what about this Lawrence-Berkeley labs testing I had gone to see?  It is in the part of the tour where my photos were dust-bound, and this is the best I can do at this point:  the drift from which water will be released to seep around and into the lower drift is here as seen from below:

It was a fun scramble getting into that drift and looking back down (dozens of photos overcome by dust, got the next photos by blowing dust off the lens to give me a semi-clear photo opportunity for just a few seconds):

In many places there was evidence for fracture-flow (see the iron and other minerals at the edges of fractures) in this very porous rock:

So, is that simply fracture flow, with the water meeting the air that is drier (ventilation) and thus evaporates as it enters the drift, leaving its minerals behind?

Or is it that along the fractures there is less relative humidity (from the ventilation-air entering the fractures) causing drying in the fractures and water moving from the rock pores into them, bringing their mineral load?  Experimentally, you will never know if you are adding water to the system thereby forcing a degree of fracture-flow that may not (or may) occur naturally.  But if you want to learn something within one lifetime, you add the water and see what you learn.  

Some parting shots from within the mine, some showing rock-type contrasts, others just showing what to me were simply interesting views with some depth and distance and complexity largely blocked out by dust-circles:

If you live reasonably near this place, make a day of it and come do the tour!

Go back to the First Page of the Hazel-Atlas Mine Visit

Go back to the Second Page of the Hazel-Atlas Mine Visit

Go Home to Life-Picks in 2006 Yearbook Page

Go Home to Thoughts and Places index page.