Qarhan Salt Lake (in standard Chinese phonetics given as Chaerhan) is a large playa surface in the Chaerhan sub-basin, which lies in the Qaidam (Chaidamu) basin of inland Qinghai. The Chaerhan Salt Lake playa has an area of 5856km2 and is one of largest playa surfaces in the world, comprising nine salt lakes: Dabiele (Dabieletan, Bieletan), Xiaobiele (Xiaobieletan), Sheli (Suli Hu), Xidabuxun, Dabuxun (Dabsan Hu), Tuanjie, Nanhuobuxun (Nan Hulsan Hu), Beihuobuxun (Bei Hulsan Hu), and Xiezuo. Dabuxun Salt Lake, which lies in the western part of the Chaerhan basin, is the largest of the lakes (184km2). Their water depths vary from 20cm to 1m, their salt contents from 165 g/l to 360 g/l, and the pH values are ranging between 5.4 and 7.85. There is no outflow, but seven intermittent streams and six permanent streams bring water into the basin.
The Chaerhan basin originated through faulted structures in the Mesozoic. The underlying bedrock is formed from Proterozoic metamorphics, Palaeozoic sandstone and limestone, and Mesozoic granite. Lacustrine deposition with the Chaerhan Basin has been continuous since the late Cenozoic. There has been slow subsidence of the Chaerhan Basin throughout the Quaternary. As a result, Quaternary lacustrine deposits have a thickness of 2500m. However, there is no evidence for abrupt tectonic activity that might have disrupted the drainage network within the basin or otherwise affected the record of changes in relative lake depth. The climate in the catchment is cold (0.1°C annual mean temperature) and extremely arid with 28-40 mm total annual precipitation, but ca. 3000 mm total annual evaporation.
Located about 60 km north of Golmud.
Ref.:
- Wang Qingzhong, and Song Pengsheng (1999): Study on Saturation Degree of Halite in the Chaerhan Salt Lake. Journal of Salt Lake Research 7(2).
- Xiao Ying-kai, Liu Wei-guo, Zhou Yin-min, and Wang Yun-hui (2000): variations in isotopic compositions of chlorine in evaporation-controlled salt lake brines of Qaidam basin, China. Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology 18(2), 169-177.
- Yu, G., Harrison, S.P., and Xue, B. (2001): Lake status records from China: Data Base Documentation. MPI-BGC Technology Report No. 4, pp. 191-195.
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Map Reference: 37°2'N , 95°6'E
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Mineral List:6 entries listed. 6 valid minerals.
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