How Many Licks Does It Take to Get An EarthCache? EarthCache
How Many Licks Does It Take to Get An EarthCache?
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This is a dual location EarthCache, you'll have to visit
two (2) locations, both are within about a mile of each
other.
Location 1-The Mine Site: N32 39.478, W095
42.466
The salt (sodium chloride [NaCl]) from the mine site is the result
of remnants of an ancient sea that dried during an extremely arid
time in the history of the Earth's past. The salt beds were formed
some 250 mya (million years ago) during the Permian Geologic
Period. The salt deposit is referred to as a salt dome because it
was up heaved from prior subterrain deposits through the overlying
strata layers.
The top of the salt dome is located some 213 feet below the
current ground surface and averages 75 +/- 1 degree though out the
year. The current mining operations are 750 feet below the ground
surface. That is 310 feet below sea level. The salt is 98.5% pure
sodium chloride and is exceptionally hard and stable. You'll be
able to get a sample inside the Salt Palace!
Because of the hardness and stability of the salt, the mine does
not employ a roof bolting system. Instead the salt is mined by the
room and pillar method. This allows the use front end loaders and
conveyer belt systems. A typical room is 75 feet wide and 25 feet
high with supporting pillars of about 130 feet square. In the
future, breaching the room will triple the height to 75 feet from
floor to ceiling.
With future modification and mining techniques, this mine has the
potential to produce at least 3,791,508,184,000 tons of salt.
Normal production of the mine is about 24,500,000 tons a year.
Given this, the mine is expected to last many thousands of
years.
Production at this mine includes rock salt, all major grades of
evaporated salt including dendritic salt, and potassium chloride (a
common salt substitute). Also some additives such as
silicoaluminate, an anti-caking agent, and iodine, a nutritional
substance, are added.
Location 2-The Salt Palace: N32 40.494, W095
42.591
The Salt Palace is the only building in the world made of salt.
Why? Because the nearby salt deposit is one of the largest, purest
salt domes in the world with a estimate supply lasting some 20,000
years. Visitor cannot resist and yes, you can and are allowed to
lick it! The original Salt Palace wad built in 1936 as part of the
State of Texas Centennial Celebration. Over the years it
deteriorated and was rebuilt in 1960. Then the town began the Salt
Festival held the second weekend in June. As a center piece, the
Salt Palace was again rebuilt in 1975. Then again in 1993 the
building was beginning to dissolve away and the present building
was constructed. On this issue, changes where made to hopefully
lengthen the life of the building. This time the design included an
overhanging roof to giving it added protection from the liquid
elements.
To claim a find; please email me the answer to the following
questions. Also you will need to upload two (2) pictures. One of
yourself displaying your GPSr with the mine in the background (do
not cross the fence, you can get the picture from the outside or by
the company's sign). The other picture will be of yourself or team
member determining How Many Licks Does It Take to Get An
EarthCache. Yes, you have to lick the stone(s) on the
building!
Question 1: What is the major impurity for the salt mined
here?
Question 2: What is the size of the salt dome (x number of feet
from top to bottom and x number of feet in diameter)?
Question 3: The Salt Palace is made of what substance (yes, you
have to lick it!)?
Hours of the Salt Palace:
Tuesday-Saturday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
Closed legal holidays and each day during the noon hour.
No charge for admission.
Click To Rate This Cache
Effective 05.16.07, all find logs MUST have accompanying
pictures or they will be deleted.
This is a result of “armchair/desktop” EarthCaching
attempts.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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