Salt deposits?

[AnViL]

So, im getting a pole building put up on my property and today the came and dug holes roughly 4ft deep. About 3 ft down i noticed what appeared to be clear granules....they were in the pes of sand outside the holes as well. For 40 years I've dug and played in sand and such and never saw clustered deposits like this. Salty to the taste...yes, I licked the rock...lol. anyone ever see this and can explain?

 

[Teegate]

Spungman may be able to help. Hopefully he sees this.

 

[bobpbx]

Very interesting.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Interesting indeed. Can you tell us the general whereabouts?

 

[RednekF350]

Hard to tell from the photo of the post hole but it looks like the materials encountered in the sidewalls are non-native fill. The salt layer looks like a bag or pile of rock salt that was buried at some point in the past.
However, if it was buried for a long period of time, I would think it should have dissolved from natural soil moisture by now and left a leaching stain beneath.

 

[AnViL]

I'm in whiting, specifically on fox hollow side. The area is pretty flat and doesn't seem like they would have backfilled....and yes, I thought the same....why wouldn't they have dissolved by now? I lived in this house for 17 years now, but grew up on the other side of the lake. Never seen anything like this out here.

 

[AnViL]

Hard to tell from the photo of the post hole but it looks like the materials encountered in the sidewalls are non-native fill. The salt layer looks like a bag or pile of rock salt that was buried at some point in the past.
However, if it was buried for a long period of time, I would think it should have dissolved from natural soil moisture by now and left a leaching stain beneath.

My thoughts exactly, I've lived in this house for last 17 years. And I dont think this land was disturbed since it was built in mid 1970s

 

[bobpbx]

What about that Doctor that created a spa there in the 1920's? Not sure if my date is right. Roosevelt City.