This mineral is named after Kern County, California, where it was first discovered in 1927. It occurs in sedimentary borate deposits and is associated with other borate minerals: borax and ulexite.

The type locality for this mineral is the Furnace Creek District, Inyo County, California. It is named after William Tell Coleman, a founder of the California borax industry and the owner of the mine where the mineral was first found in 1884. It forms in arid and alkali lacustrine (lake) environments.

Commonly found in evaporite deposits, salt lakes, playas and in solution in hot springs. Its name comes from the Arabic bauraq, meaning “white.” It was first discovered in 1546 in India.