- John Burk: It ain't gold you should be lookin' for.
- Aaron Winters: What do you mean by that?
- John Burk: A man could retire right comfortable if he could find a proper deposit of borax.
- Aaron Winters: A deposit of what?
- John Burk: Borax!
- Aaron Winters: Borax? What's that?
- John Burk: It's a mineral they use to make soaps and medicines with. It's rare, but they found a pocket of it up there about five years ago. Findin' some more would be pretty worthwhile.
- Aaron Winters: What is it about it that makes it so worthwhile to be diggin' for?
- John Burk: The scarcity of it, that's what! The only place they can it now is a country called Tibet. They load it on the backs of sheep and haul it over the Himalayas.
- [examining a chunk of borax]
- Aaron Winters: Ben says this is worth 600 dollars a ton. Sure doesn't look it, does it.
- Rosie Winters: What is it?
- Aaron Winters: Called borax.
- Rosie Winters: Aaron... this looks like that cotton-ball stuff that got stuck in my hair and clothes.
- Aaron Winters: Yeah. Yeah!
- Rosie Winters: I'm sure it's the same crystals we saw that day.
- Aaron Winters: At the base of the mountain.
- Rosie Winters: Yes! There must be tons and tons of it!
- Aaron Winters: I'm goin' into town and get some sulfuric acid and alcohol. You and I are goin' prospectin' for borax!
- [after pouring alcohol and sulfuric acid on the white rocks, Aaron hesitates to test the material by striking a match]
- Rosie Winters: Light it.
- Aaron Winters: R-Rosie... what if it isn't?
- Rosie Winters: Aaron, we'll go on looking for that gold mine together. I'll light it.
- [postscript]
- Robert Taylor - Host: [indicating a chunk of borax] Today, this important mineral helps bring you glass, ceramics, automobiles, fiberglass and... Death Valley Days.