Influencing mechanism and hydrogeological implications of water level fluctuation of lakes in the northern Qaidam Basin,Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The Qaidam Basin(QB)is a concentrated distribution area and chemical industrial bases of salt lakes in China.Lakes in the QB have been expanding during the past 20 years.Rapid lake expansion resulted in some considerable scientific issues on the protection of salt lake resources and infrastructure,and monitoring of hydrological processes at the lake-basin scale.Although the spatial-temporal trends of lake changes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)have been well documented,the underlying influencing mechanism and hydrogeological implications of rapid lake changes in the QB are not well understood.Three lakes in the northern QB were selected to investigate lake water level fluctuations on different time scales based on extensive in-situ monitoring and satellite observations.The influencing mechanism and hydrogeological implications of rapid changes of terminal lakes were discussed in combination with the reported increasing precipitation rate and mass balance of glaciers in the northern QTP.Results reveal the following:(1)the fluctuation pattern of Sugan Lake was asynchronous and out of phase with that of Xiao Qaidam and Toson lakes during the monitoring period;(2)Sugan Lake water rose gradually,and the rise interval was from late April to early July.In contrast,Xiao Qaidam and Toson lakes took on a rapid and steep rise,and the rise intervalwas from late July to September;(3)the influencing mechanisms for rapid lake fluctuations are controlled by different factors:glacier and snow melting with increasing temperature for Sugan Lake and increasing precipitation for Xiao Qaidam and Toson lakes;(4)in accordance with different intervals and influencing mechanisms of rapid lake expansions in the QB,hydrological risk precaution of lakes and corresponding river catchments was conducted in different parts of the basin.This study provided an important scientific basis for assessing the hydrological process and hydrological risk precaution,and protection of salt lake resources along with rapid lake expansions in the arid area.

Recharge processes limit the resource elements of Qarhan Salt Lake in western China and analogues in the evaporite basins

The Qarhan Salt Lake(QSL)in western China is K-Sr-Li-B-Br-Rb multi-resource coexisting Quaternary brine deposits.Significant research efforts have been directed to the origin of K-Li resources and evolutionary history of the QSL.However,the study on the different sources,recharge processes,and differential distribution patterns for these resource elements in brine deposits is still inadequate.Therefore,we measured Li-B concentrations and H-O-Sr-B isotopic compositions of different waters(river,spring,and brine)from the QSL,combined with the reported K-Sr contents and multiple isotopes of waters,to discuss the recharge,source of K-Sr-Li-B and their spatial distributions,by analogy with other evaporite basins in the world.The results show that:(1)the K-Li-B-Sr elemental concentrations of brines and their spatial distribution in the QSL are diverse;(2)high K and Sr values are distributed in Dabuxun and Qarhan sections,respectively,which are controlled by Ca-Cl springs in the northern QSL;on the contrary,Li and B values are enriched in the Bieletan section and are charged by thermal springs in the Kunlun Mountains;(3)the formation and evolution of Ca-Cl and thermal springs constrain fundamentally on the recharge processes of K-Sr and Li-B elements in the terminal salt lakes of the Qaidam Basin(QB);(4)some analogues of recharge processes limit the resource elements of the QSL and other salt lakes(Da Qaidam,Lop Nur,Zhabuye,Atacama,and Guayatayoc)in the world provides a reference for the resource exploration in deep formation waters in the evaporite basins.

Leachate Lithium Characteristics of Loess-paleosol Sequences on the Chinese Loess Plateau and their Paleoclimatic Significance

The geochemical components of the leachate from loess-paleosol deposits can provide information about climaterelated post-depositional processes.For example,leachate lithium([Li]_(leachate))is a potential paleoclimate proxy because lithium is a typical lithophile element that is readily adsorbed by clay minerals during weathering and pedogenesis,and thus stratigraphic variations in[Li]leachatecan reflect these processes.We investigated the[Li]leachatevalues of two loess-paleosols profiles(the Luochuan and Weinan sections),on a north-south climatic gradient on the Chinese Loess Plateau.Independent paleoclimate information was provided by measurements of magnetic susceptibility,grain size,Rb/Sr ratios,and clay mineral content.During the last glacial-interglacial period,[Li]leachateincreased from 0.39 to 1.97μg/g at Luochuan and from 0.67 to 2.45μg/g at Weinan,mainly due to increasing pedogenesis.Based on these results we developed a conceptual model to explain the variations in[Li]leachate,Li^(+)within loess layers is mainly derived from dust input and the decomposition of primary minerals,influenced by the East Asian winter monsoon,while in paleosol layers Li is mainly derived from clay mineral adsorption during pedogenic processes,influenced by the East Asian summer monsoon.

Influences of soil moisture and salt content on loess shear strength in the Xining Basin, northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Moisture and salt content of soil are the two predominant factors influencing its shear strength. This study aims to investigate the effects of these two factors on shear strength behavior of loess in the Xining Basin of Northeast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, where such geological hazards as soil erosion, landslides collapse and debris flows are widespread due to the highly erodible loess. Salinized loess soil collected from the test site was desalinized through salt-leaching in the laboratory. The desalinized and oven-dried loess samples were also artificially moisturized and salinized in order to examine how soil salinity affects its shear strength at different moisture levels. Soil samples prepared in different ways(moisturizing, salt-leaching, and salinized) were measured to determine soil cohesion and internal friction angle. The results show that salt-leaching up to 18 rounds almost completely removed the salt content and considerably changed the physical components of loess, but the soil type remained unchanged. As salt content increases from 0.00% to 12.00%, both the cohesion and internal friction angle exhibit an initial decrease and then increase with salt content. As moisture content is 12.00%, the salt content threshold value for both cohesion and internal friction angle is identified as 3.00%. As the moisture content rises to 16.0% and 20.00%, the salt content threshold value for cohesion is still 6.00%, but 3.00% for internal friction angle. At these thresholds soil shear strength is the lowest, below which it is inversely related to soil salinity. Beyond the thresholds, however, the relationship is positive. Dissimilar to salinity, soil moisture content exerts an adverse effect on shear strength of loess. The findings of this study can provide a valuable guidance on stabilizing the engineering properties of salinized loess to prevent slope failures during heavy rainfall events.

Aeolian component records in lacustrine sediments and its atmospheric circulation significance for evolution of Qarhan salt lake,NE Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

1 Introduction The Qarhan Playa of Qaidam Basin is located at the northeastern QinghaiTibetan Plateau(QTP),in which thick lacustrine and evaporate sediments deposited since the late Pleistocene(Chen et al.,1985,1986).As surrounded by capacious Gobi and yardang fields and suffered strong westerly-northwesterly wind,abundant aeolian materials were trapped in these sediment sequences in the

Molecular Dynamic Regulation of Na and Mg Ions on Lithium Carbonate Crystallisation in Salt Lakes

Lithium carbonate (Li_(2)CO_(3)) was synthesised by adding sodium (Na) and magnesium (Mg) ions into a lithium chloride solution at different concentrations,followed by the addition of an appropriate sodium carbonate solution.Then,the morphology,purity and particle size of Li_(2)CO_(3) crystals were investigated.The Na and Mg ions had negligible and remarkable effects,respectively,on the product purity;however they both greatly influenced its morphology.Their effects on the nucleation and growth rates,the radial distribution function and the diffusion behaviour of the synthesised Li_(2)CO_(3) were investigated via molecular dynamics methods;the Na ions slowed down the crystal nucleation and growth rates,while the Mg ions accelerated them.Moreover,the Mg ions rendered the system short-range ordered and long-range disordered and also increased the diffusion coefficient.The results of this study showed that Mg ions are one of the most important factors influencing the purity and yield of Li_(2)CO_(3).

Recovery of Li_(2)CO_(3)and FePO_(4)from spent LiFePO_(4)by coupling technics of isomorphic substitution leaching and solvent extraction

Efficient and low-cost recycling of spent lithium iron phosphate(LiFePO_(4),LFP)batteries has become an inevitable trend.In this study,an integrated closed-loop recycling strategy including isomorphic substitution leaching and solvent extraction process for spent LFP was proposed.An inexpensive FeCl_(3)was used as leaching agent to directly substitute Fe^(2+)from LFP.99%of Li can be rapidly leached in just 30 min,accompanied by 98%of FePO_(4)precipitated in lixivium.The tri-n-butyl phosphate(TBP)-sulfonated kerosene(SK)system was applied to extract Li from lixivium through a twelve-stage countercurrent process containing synchronous extraction and stepwise stripping of Li^(+)and Fe^(3+).80.81%of Li can be selectively enriched in stripping liquor containing 3.059 mol·L^(-1)of Li^(+)under optimal conditions.And the Fe stripping liquor was recovered for LFP re-leaching,of which,Fe^(2+)was oxidized to Fe^(3+)by appropriate H_(2)O_(2).Raffinate and lixivium were concentrated and entered into extraction process to accomplished closeloop recycling process.Overall,the results suggest that more than 99%of Li was recovered.FeCl_(3)holding in solution was directly regenerated without any pollutant emission.The sustainable mothed would be an alternative candidate for total element recycling of spent LFP batteries with industrial potential.

Source apportionment of river water pollution in a typical agricultural city of Anhui Province, eastern China using multivariate statistical techniques with APCS– MLR

The deterioration of the surface water environment has become a serious challenge for water resources management due to increasing anthropogenic disturbance. Water resources protection requires control of potential pollution sources. In this study, 99 water samples were collected from a river in a typical agricultural city of Anhui Province in eastern China, and these samples were analyzed in terms of pH, electrical conductivity, and the concentrations of F-, Cl-, SO42-, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, As, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Pb. Cluster analysis, co-occurrence network analysis, and principal component analysis/factor analysis were conducted to qualitatively identify the potential sources of river water pollution in the study area. An absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression receptor model was used to quantitatively evaluate the contribution of each source to water quality parameters. The results showed that all observed water quality indices met the quality criteria specified in the Chinese drinking water standards, except for pH, ρ(F-), ρ(SO42-), and ρ(As). The heat map showed that the frequent recharge of pollutants from the tributaries during the wet season was the main reason for the deterioration of water quality. Five sources of river water pollution were identified, and their contribution ratios in a descending order were as follows: the geogenic process (24%) > agricultural activities (21%) > poultry farming sources (17%) > domestic pollution (9%) > transportation pollution (5%). Therefore, controlling pollution from agricultural activities, strengthening the regulation of livestock farming, and improving the sewage network are the recommended strategies for improving the quality of surface water resources in this area.

Genesis of Neogene Formation Waters in the Central Qaidam Basin:Clues from Hydrochemistry and Stable D-O-S-Sr Isotopes

Geological explorations have revealed plentiful Neogene formation waters in anticlines in the central Qaidam Basin(QB).However,the hydrochemistry and origin of these waters are obscure.In this study,the hydrochemistry and DO-S-Sr isotopes of these formation waters were determined to study their origin and evolution.The formation waters are enriched in Na-Ca-Cl,and depleted in Mg-K-SO4-HCO3ions with elevated Li-B-Br-Sr elements.The D-O isotopes prove that the formation waters originated from weak-evaporated meteoric waters,and experienced water-rock interactions.Ion comparisons and Caexcess-Nadeficitdiagrams suggest that solute sources of these waters include evaporite dissolution,waterrock interaction,and minor residual lake brines.Bacterial sulfate reduction and water-rock interactions are supported by the high S-Sr isotopes.The enriched Li-B-Br-Sr concentrations of these waters are in accord with the high geochemical background values of the QB.Regarding the genesis of the formation waters,it can be concluded that meteoric waters from the southern Kunlun Mountains were discharged into the basin,weakly evaporated,and then infiltrated into the Neogene strata through faults leaching the soluble ions and mixing with residual lake brines,and all experienced water-rock interactions and a sulphate reduction process.

An Exploratory Analysis of Vegetation Strategies to Reduce Shallow Landslide Activity on Loess Hillslopes, Northeast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

Heavy summer rainfall induces significant soil erosion and shallow landslide activity on the loess hillslopes of the Xining Basin at the northeast margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. This study examines the mechanical effects of five native shrubs that can be used to reduce shallow landslide activity. We measured single root tensile resistance and shear resistance, root anatomical structure and direct shear and triaxial shear for soil without roots and five root- soil composite systems. Results show that Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt. possessed the strongest roots, followed by Caragana korshinskii Kom., Zygophyllum xanthoxylon (Bunge) Maxim., Nitraria tangutorum Bobr. and Lycium chinense Mill. Single root strength and shear resistance relationships with root diameter are characterized by power or exponential relations, consistent with the Mohr- Coulomb law. Root mechanical strength reflects their anatomical structure, especially the percentage of phloem and xylem cells, and the degree and speed of periderm lignifications. The cohesion force of root- soil composite systems is notably higher than that of soil without roots, with increasing amplitudes of cohesion force for A. canescens, C. korshinskii, Z. xanthoxylon, N. tangutorum and L. chinense of 75.9%, 75.1%, 36.2%, 24.6% and 17.0 % respectively. When subjected to shear forces, the soil without root samples show much greater lateral deformation thanthe root-soil composite systems, reflecting the restraining effects of roots. Findings from this paper indicate that efforts to reduce shallow landslides in this region by enhancing root reinforcement will be achieved most effectively using A. canescens and C. korshinskii.

The influence of plant root system architectural properties upon the stability of loess hillslopes,Northeast Qinghai,China

To investigate the influence of root system architectural properties of three indigenous(coldadapted) shrubs on the hillslope stability of loess deposits in the Xining Basin,northeast part of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP),indoor direct shear tests have been conducted on the remolded rooted soil of three shrubs.Test results show that root system architectural indices(root area ratio(RAR),root length density(RLD) and root density(RD)) of the shrubs decline with depth and the relationship between RAR,RD and depth is exponential,while a power relationship describes the relationship between RLD and depth.The cohesion force of remolded rooted soil for the shrubs initially increases withdepth,but it then demonstrates a slightly decreasing trend,which can be described with a power relationship.Power relationships also describe relationships between cohesion force and RAR,RLD and RD for the shrubs.As the growth period increases from 10 to 17 months,the incremental increase in RAR is 48.32% ~ 210.25% for Caragana korshinskii Kom and 0.56% ~ 166.85% for Zygophyllum xanthoxylon(Bunge) Maxim.This proportional increase is notably larger than that for RLD and RD.The increment in RAR is marginally greater for C.korshinskii than it is for Z.xanthoxylon.Correspondingly,the cohesion force incremental rates of remolded rooted soil for C.korshinskii and Z.xanthoxylon are 12.41% ~ 25.22% and 3.45% ~ 17.33% respectively.Meanwhile,as root content increases,the contribution by roots to cohesion force increases markedly until a threshold condition is reached.

OSL chronology and paleoclimatic implications of paleodunes in the middle and southwestern Qaidam Basin, Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Aeolian sediments are widely distributed in the Qaidam Basin, northeastern Qinghai-Ti^tan Plateau （QTP）. The pale（xiunes are mainly located at the southeastern, middle and southwestem Qaidam Basin. However, ages ofpaleodunes in the middle and southwestern Qaidam Basin have not been well studied, although they are close to and might connect to the evolution of salt lakes in the cenWal basin. In this study, we use single aliquot regeneration （SAR） protocol of Optically Stimulated Luminescence （OSL） to date the dune sand in these two regions. The results show that： （1） Sand accumulation in these regions started at ca. 4-3 ka and lasted to ca. 0.5 ka when they were stabilized, due to the arid climate in the late Holocene. （2） The underlying fluvial sand was fomaed during deghcialion at 12.6±0.8 ka. （3） The stabilization pe- riods of the paleodunes correspond to stages of glacier advance in the northeastem QTP, during which lower temperatures caused the decrease of evapomlion and increase of the effective moisttwe, leading to an increase of vegetation cover and stabilizalion of the dunes.

The Salt Attack Performance of Magnesium Oxychloride Cement Exposure to Three Kinds of Brines

Salt attack performance of magnesium oxychloride cement(MOC) in brine was investigated from the viewpoints of strength development and strength coefficient. Microstructure was studied using quantitative X-ray diffraction(QXRD), thermogravimetry(TG) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). The results show that MOC mortars have outstanding salt attack performance after aging brine and raw brine immersion. The salt attack coefficients of MOC mortars are higher than 0.8, which is qualified for application in saline soil and salt lake area. The reason is that salt brine solution enters into the voids of MOC and plays a role of toughening and strengthening in the MOC.

Analysis of the distribution characteristics of ^(226)Ra and ^(228)Ra and their sources in the western part of Qinghai Lake

The 226 Ra and 228 Ra activities of Qinghai Lake surface water,groundwater,river water,suspended particles,and bottom sediments were measured in a gamma-ray spectrometer.The sources of 226 Ra and 228 Ra were discussed according to their distribution characteristics.226 Ra and 228 Ra activities(dpm/(100 L)) ranged from 14.13±0.22 to 19.22±0.42 and 17.72±0.66 to 30.96±1.47 in the surface water of the North Bay,respectively,and from 7.88±0.24 to 33.80±0.47 and 15.73±0.74 to 57.31±1.44,respectively,in the South Bay.The surface water near the estuary had a lower salinity and had a higher concentration of radium isotopes than the samples collected further away.The farther offshore the sample,the higher the salinity was,and the lower the radium isotope activity.The distribution of radium activities in the western part of Qinghai Lake is controlled by several factors,including Buha River runoff,desorption from suspended particles derived from the river,groundwater discharge,and a small amount of diffusion from the sediment.

A potential-responsive ion-pump system based on nickel hexacyanoferrate film for selective extraction of cesium ions

A nickel hexacyanoferrate(NiHCF)film electrode was prepared with NiHCF,conductive carbon black,and polyvinylidene difluoride,which was coated on graphite plate substrate for selective extraction of Cs^(+)ions by using electrochemically switched ion exchange(ESIX)technology.A potential-responsive ionpump system for efficient extraction of Cs+ions was designed,and the effect of wet film thicknesses,charging modes,flow rates,and chamber widths on Cs+ions extraction performance was investigated.In the system,the adsorption capacity and removal percentage of Cs^(+)ions on the NiHCF film electrode reached as high as 147.69 mg·g^(-1)and 92.47%,respectively.Furthermore,the NiHCF film electrode showed high selectivity for Cs^(+)ions and stability.After seven cycles of adsorption/desorption,the desorption percentage could reach about 100%.The excellent Cs^(+)extraction performance should be attributed to the strong driving force produced by the potential-responsive ion-pumping effect in the ESIX process,as well as the low ion transfer resistance of the film electrode which is caused by the special crystal structure of NiHCF.In addition,the NiHCF film electrode was implemented to work together with the bismuth oxybromide(BiOBr)film electrode to accomplish the simultaneous extraction of Cs^(+)and Br^(-).And the adsorption capacity and removal percentage of Br^(-)ions on the BiOBr film electrode reached 69.53 mg·g^(-1)and 77.32%,correspondingly.It is expected that such a potential-responsive ion-pump system based on NiHCF and BiOBr film electrodes could be used for the selective extraction and concentration of Cs^(+)and Br^(-)ions from salt lake brine.

The extraction of potassium from K-feldspar ore by low temperature molten salt method

The low temperature molten salt method was used to extract potassium from K-feldspar ore, and some related factors including mass ratio between NaNO_3, NaOH, H_2O and K-feldspar ore, particle size of K-feldspar ore,reaction temperature and time were investigated, respectively. In addition, the optimum condition for this method was determined by a series of condition experiments. What was more, the K-feldspar ore and the leach residue after reaction based on the above optimum condition were analyzed by XRD, SEM and EDS,separately. The results of which indicated that the mechanism of extraction of potassium for this method was according to the ion exchange reaction between sodium ion and potassium ion, and the extraction ratio of potassium had an obvious improvement than that of traditional methods, which could reach up to 96.25%.Therefore, this method can be a feasible solution to extract potassium from K-feldspar ore for its low energy consumption and high efficiency.

Characteristics of root pullout resistance of Caragana korshinskii Kom.in the loess area of northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China

Roots exert pullout resistance under pullout force,allowing plants to resist uprooting.However,the pullout resistance characteristics of taproot-type shrub species of different ages remain unclear.In this study,in order to improve our knowledge of pullout resistance characteristics of taproot systems of shrub species,we selected the shrub species Caragana korshinskii Kom.in different growth periods as the research plant and conducted in situ root pullout test.The relationships among the maximum pullout resistance,peak root displacement,shrub growth period,and aboveground growth indices(plant height and plant crown breadth)were analyzed,as well as the mechanical process of uprooting.Pullout resistance of 4-15 year-old C.korshinskii ranged from 2.49(±0.25)to 14.71(±4.96)kN,and the peak displacement ranged from 11.77(±8.61)to 26.50(±16.09)cm.The maximum pullout resistance and the peak displacement of roots increased as a power function(R^(2)=0.9038)and a linear function(R^(2)=0.8242)with increasing age,respectively.The maximum pullout resistance and the peak displacement increased with increasing plant height;however,this relationship was not significant.The maximum pullout resistance increased exponentially(R^(2)=0.5522)as the crown breadth increased.There was no significant relationship between the peak displacement and crown breadth.The pullout resistance and displacement curve were divided into three stages:the initial nonlinear growth,linear growth,and nonlinear stages.Two modes of failure of a single root occurred when the roots were subjected to vertical loading forces:the synchronous breakage mode and the periderm preferential breakage mode.These findings provide a foundation for further investigation of the soil reinforcement and slope protection mechanisms of this shrub species in the loess area of northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China.

Multiple assessments, source determination, and health risk apportionment of heavy metal(loid)s in the groundwater of the Shule River Basin in northwestern China

Global ecosystems and public health have been greatly impacted by the accumulation of heavy metal(loid)s in water.Source-specific risk apportionment is needed to prevent and manage potential groundwater contamination with heavy metal(loid)s.The heavy metal(loid)s contamination status,water quality,ecological risk,and health risk apportionment of the Shule River Basin groundwater are poorly understood.Therefore,field sampling was performed to explore the water quality and risk of heavy metal(loid)s in the groundwater of the Shule River Basin in northwestern China.A total of 96 samples were collected from the study area to acquire data for water quality and heavy metal(loid)s risk.There was noticeable accumulation of ferrum in the groundwater of the Shule River Basin.The levels of pollution were considered to be moderately low,as evaluated by the degree of contamination,heavy metal evaluation index,heavy metal pollution index,and Nemerow pollution index.The ecological risks were also low.However,an assessment of the water quality index revealed that only 58.34%of the groundwater samples had good water quality.The absolute principal component scores-multiple linear regression model was more suited for this study area than the positive matrix factorization model.There were no obvious noncarcinogenic or carcinogenic concerns for all types of receptors according to the values of the total hazard index and total carcinogenic risk.The human activities and the initial geological environment factor(65.85%)was the major source of noncarcinogenic risk(residential children:87.56%;residential adults:87.52%;recreational children:86.77%;and recreational adults:85.42%),while the industrial activity factor(16.36%)was the major source of carcinogenic risk(residential receptors:87.96%;and recreational receptors:68.73%).These findings provide fundamental and crucial information for reducing the health issues caused by heavy metal(loid)s contamination of groundwater in arid areas.

Long-term Properties of Aeolian Sand-magnesium Oxychloride Cement Composites and Its Engineering Application

In order to prepare a new material with long-term stable performance,low cost,easy construction,and ecological environmental protection,the influence of aeolian sand on the compressive and flexural strength as well as micro morphology and phase composition of magnesium oxychloride cement(MOC)was studied.The experimental results indicate that,with the increase of content of doping sand,the compressive strength and flexural strength of MOC decrease significantly.However,when the quality ratio of aeolian sand and light burned magnesia powder is 1:8,the performance meets the actual engineering needs.Namely,the compressive strength of MOC is not less than 18 MPa,and flexural strength is not less than 4 MPa.Meanwhile,within 12 months of age,the compressive strength and flexural strength are stable.There is no obvious change in phase composition,and its main phase is still 5·1·8 phase.Microscopic appearance changes from needle-like to gel-like shape.Based on engineering applications,it is found that when the novel sand-fixing material is used in the field for one year,its macroscopic feature is not damaged,compressive strength and flexural strength are also more stable,phase composition negligibly changes,and micro morphology has also been turned into be gellike shape.These further confirm the long-term stability and weather resistance of MOC doping aeolian sand,providing theoretical and technical support for the widely application of MOC in the field of sand fixation in the future.

Geochemistry of Brines from Salt Ore Deposits in Western Tarim Basin

In the geological evolution of the Tarim Basin, many transgressions and relictions happened. So there have been plentiful sources of salt. Moreover, because of uttermost drought, a lot of salt has been deposited. It is possible to find potash salt in this area. In our fieldwork, we have found salt and brine in western Tarim Basin. Based on a geological survey and the characteristics of sedimentary facies and paleogeography, this paper deals with the geochemical parameters and discusses the possibility of formation of potash salt in terms of the chemical analyses of samples collected from western Tarim Basin. Results of brine analysis lead to some conclusions: most of these salt brines have eluviated from very thick halite beds, mainly chloride-type salt and this kind of halite does not reach the stage of potash deposition in all aspects; WKSL (Wukeshalu) occupies a noticeable place, and we should attach importance to this district because there have been some indicators of the occurrence of potash deposits as viewed from the contents of Br and K. Finally, low Br contents are recognized in the Tarim Basin as a result of salt aggradation, and this point of view has been proved by the results of this experiment and the data available. It cannot depend upon the index of Br to judge the evolution stage of halite. We must look for other facies of potash except marine facies.