Abstract
Lake Qarhan is the largest salt lake and potassium salt resource mining base in china. Understanding the origin of brines and the contribution of modern water circulation is extremely important to the sustainable development of the salt lake. Comprehensive tools including isotope, hydrochemistry and numerical simulation had been performed. Results suggest that brine groundwater in the salt lake area is the result of ancient brines migrated from the western Qaidam Basin due to the uplift of the western basin in the geological past. Shallow phreatic aquifers in the salt lake area are also recharged by the modern surface water in the flood period. The contribution of modern groundwater circulation to the salt lake area is very limited with only 3% of the total quantity of groundwater discharge for the watershed.
Highlights
The Qaidam basin, the largest closed basin of Tibetan Plateau, has the largest number of salt lakes, salt playas and types of salt deposits in China
This study provides insights into the origin, recharge environment of brines in Qarhan salt lake area, as well as the contribution of modern water circulation to the salt lake
The δD and δ18O isotope analysis results of different water bodies are shown in relation to the Global Meteoric Water Line (GMWL), Golmud Watershed Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL) [2] and Golmud Watershed Local Evaporation Line (LEL) on Fig. 2
Summary
The Qaidam basin, the largest closed basin of Tibetan Plateau, has the largest number of salt lakes, salt playas and types of salt deposits in China. Lake Qarhan, located in the basin centre (Fig. 1), is the largest salt lake in China. This lake is rich in potassium mineralization, and accompanied by various minerals containing magnesium, sodium, lithium, boron and iodine. Understanding the origin of the brines and the role of modern water circulation is extremely important for sustainable exploitation of salt lake minerals resources. The present study uses isotopic tools to develop insight into the origin of brines in the Qarhan salt lake area. This study provides insights into the origin, recharge environment of brines in Qarhan salt lake area, as well as the contribution of modern water circulation to the salt lake
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