青海有大(da)大(da)小(xiao)小(xiao)的鹽(yan)湖(hu)100多個,其中(zhong)一(yi)個大(da)一(yi)點兒的鹽(yan)湖(hu)的鹽(yan)就夠(gou)全世界使用(yong)數十年(nian)、上百年(nian)。在(zai)青海的鹽(yan)湖(hu)中(zhong),最(zui)(zui)大(da)也最(zui)(zui)出名的是茶卡鹽(yan)湖(hu)、察爾汗鹽(yan)湖(hu)和柯柯鹽(yan)湖(hu),它們都分布(bu)在(zai)柴達木盆地。
青(qing)海湖鹽(yan)是一(yi)(yi)種(zhong)天然鹽(yan),含有豐(feng)富(fu)的(de)礦物質(zhi)和(he)微(wei)量(liang)元(yuan)素,符合(he)食品(pin)安全(quan)標準,可以安心食用(yong)。青(qing)海湖鹽(yan)可以像普通食用(yong)鹽(yan)一(yi)(yi)樣,用(yong)于調味(wei)(wei)和(he)烹飪。它的(de)獨(du)特風味(wei)(wei)和(he)豐(feng)富(fu)的(de)礦物質(zhi)含量(liang)可以為(wei)食物增添美味(wei)(wei)和(he)營養。
茶卡鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖位于茶卡盆地中心,茶卡鎮(zhen)南面。茶卡是(shi)(shi)蒙古語,意為“鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)海”。茶卡鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖面積100多(duo)平(ping)方公(gong)里(li)。茶卡鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)晶(jing),晶(jing)大質(zhi)純,鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)味醇香。生(sheng)產的食鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),銷往全國許多(duo)省區(qu)。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)的形狀多(duo)樣,有珍(zhen)珠鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、玻璃鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、珊(shan)瑚鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、水晶(jing)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、雪花(hua)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、粉(fen)條鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、蘑菇鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)等。只(zhi)要揭(jie)開(kai)10多(duo)厘米(mi)厚(hou)的鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)蓋,就可(ke)以從(cong)下(xia)面撈取(qu)天然的結晶(jing)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)。開(kai)采過的鹵水,幾(ji)年(nian)后又重新結晶(jing)成鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),真(zhen)是(shi)(shi)取(qu)之(zhi)不(bu)盡。
察爾(er)汗鹽(yan)(yan)湖(hu)位于柴達木盆地中南部,海(hai)拔2670米(mi),南北寬40多(duo)(duo)(duo)公里,東西長140多(duo)(duo)(duo)公里,總面積(ji)5800多(duo)(duo)(duo)平方公里,距格爾(er)木市約60多(duo)(duo)(duo)公里,北距大柴旦110多(duo)(duo)(duo)公里。它(ta)是(shi)青(qing)海(hai)最(zui)大的鹽(yan)(yan)礦資(zi)源,盛產鉀(jia)鹽(yan)(yan)、食鹽(yan)(yan),還(huan)(huan)有(you)(you)鎂(mei)、鋰、硼、碘等多(duo)(duo)(duo)種礦產。已(yi)建有(you)(you)大型的鉀(jia)鹽(yan)(yan)廠。鹽(yan)(yan)湖(hu)面上(shang)覆蓋著一(yi)層薄的沙(sha)土,下(xia)面是(shi)鹽(yan)(yan)。鹽(yan)(yan)的形狀奇特(te),有(you)(you)的像(xiang)珍(zhen)珠(zhu)寶石(shi)花,也(ye)有(you)(you)的像(xiang)寶塔、星斗,主要為白(bai)色,還(huan)(huan)有(you)(you)紅、青(qing)、藍、黑色的。人們(men)把不同形狀的鹽(yan)(yan)叫珍(zhen)珠(zhu)鹽(yan)(yan)、玻(bo)璃鹽(yan)(yan)、珊瑚鹽(yan)(yan)、水井鹽(yan)(yan)、雪花鹽(yan)(yan)、粉條鹽(yan)(yan)、蘑菇(gu)鹽(yan)(yan)等。鹽(yan)(yan)湖(hu)上(shang)風和日麗(li)時(shi),有(you)(you)時(shi)可以(yi)看(kan)到“海(hai)市蜃(shen)樓”。在鹽(yan)(yan)湖(hu)上(shang),還(huan)(huan)修(xiu)筑了以(yi)鹽(yan)(yan)鋪的鹽(yan)(yan)橋公路(lu)。
萬丈(zhang)鹽(yan)橋(qiao)是(shi)用(yong)鹽(yan)在(zai)察爾汗鹽(yan)湖湖面上鋪成的(de)32公里(li)長的(de)公路(lu),素(su)稱萬丈(zhang)鹽(yan)橋(qiao)。它打破了外國專家“鹽(yan)含量超過40%的(de)地區不能修(xiu)筑公路(lu)”的(de)神話。鹽(yan)公路(lu)路(lu)面平整(zheng)光滑,與(yu)柏油馬(ma)路(lu)無兩樣。路(lu)面出現坑凹,用(yong)鹵水(shui)一澆(jiao),隨后凝(ning)結(jie)即可填平。它怕雨(yu)水(shui),因水(shui)可溶解鹽(yan),但這里(li)幾(ji)乎終年沒有雨(yu)水(shui)。