gypsum or "mica"

[Koontz John E]

On Tue, 3 Sep 2002 bi1 at soas.ac.uk wrote:
> Interesting that you said makha saN, I was going to hazard that a s a
> guess.  The white cliffs of Dover, so I was informed by a Lakota
> veteran who had seen them, are called Maya SaN.  They are of course
> chalk, but look much like gypsum from a distance.

What's the difference between mayaN and makha?  'Earth' vs. 'clay'?
I'm guessing 'earth' from OP maz^aN 'land' and, I think, 'soil'.

JEK