Brimstone, Bad Eggs, and Glauberite EarthCache

Questions:

1. Describe the deposits that are coming out of the spring?  Color?  Soft mud or Crystalline feel? Hot/Cold? Does there appear to be more deposits in the water or around the edges?
2. Does there appear to be any yellow Sulfur depots here? Why would you say yes or no?
3. Does the smell get stronger as you approach from 30 yards? or uniform? 
4. Do you see vents where sulfur or the hydrogen sulfide or does it appear to come from the water?
5. Add a photo of you from the location or of an identifiable item (paper with trackable name).  Posting a photo pulled from the internet, or photoshopped will result in instant deletion.

I am sure you smelled this before you got here. Beyond another spring that issues forth from the mountain.  Hopefully you enjoy your visit to this site a little bit.

This spring supplies much the same water as the hot pots up fifth water (see the other EarthCache nearby) .  The water is heated from below the surface and picks up a large number of minerals that eventually get deposited at the surface.

In this case we are looking at the deposits of a material referred to as Glauberite. This is a mineral Na₂Ca(SO₄)₂ made up of Calcium from the limestone it leeches through, Sodium, Sulfur and Oxygen.   The Sulfur comes from the volcanic heat and gases that then enter the water that forms this spring. It is easily soluble and running water can actually wash the mineral away.  It appears normally as it evaporates.  So you will see most of it during the summer months where evaporation around the edges of the spring will cause it to appear. Because is is water soluble it is not very common in nature. Appearances like this in a moist and wet environment cause the few crystals for form and then wash away.

This area is also known for its Brimstone or rotten egg smell. It is a hydrogen sulfide.  This is extremely dangerous in higher concentrations.  In volcanic fields this can be the biggest hazard that you find.  In this case it is not very dangerous, just very smelly.  It can  come out of the water if it is dissolve in the water, or it can come out of vents that are nearby.

Sulfur is part of the smell, and the Glauberite.  In its purer form it ends up as a yellow powder or yellow crystals.  In the right conditions it can appear on the surface from water or from steam/air vents. In ancient times Sulfur was known as brimstone.

Spring water composition: Cole, D. R., 1983. “Chemical and Isotopic Investigations of Warm Springs Associated with Normal Faults in Utah.” Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 16, p. 65-98.