Eagle Borax Works

Eagle Borax Works is a mineral processing operation from the 1880s in Death Valley, with stone ruins that include boiler fire boxes and crystallization tank remains. The site sits in a valley location where deposits of borate minerals were abundant and workers extracted raw material for refinement and transport.

The works began operations in 1882 and ran for two years before closing, making it a brief but significant chapter in Death Valley's mining era. It came into being during a time when borax was in high demand for industrial and household products across the country.

This site reflects how people extracted value from an inhospitable landscape using ingenuity and persistence. Walking through the ruins, you can sense the determination required to operate an industrial facility in one of the harshest desert environments on Earth.

The ruins are located within Death Valley National Park and can be reached on foot from a nearby pullout. Informational signs explain how the extraction and crystallization process worked, helping visitors understand the technical operations that took place here.

The founder discovered the borax deposits after a harrowing desert crossing that tested his survival skills in the harshest conditions. This tale of personal endurance became intertwined with the industrial story of the operation itself.