Industry
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Borax was discovered on the nearby surface of Searles Lake by John Searles in 1862. With his brother, Dennis, he formed the San Bernardino Borax Mining Company in 1873 and operated it until 1897. The chemicals in Searles Lake, including borax, potash, salt cake, and lithium, were deposited here by runoff waters from melting ice age glaciers. John Searles's discovery proved to be the world's richest chemical storehouse, containing half the natural elements known to man.
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