Nierkule Salt Lake

Nierkule Salt Lake

Nierkule Salt Lake is located in Ang’ez Village, Kalajun Township, Artux City, 32 kilometers from Ang’ez Village. The lake covers a water surface area of 50 square kilometers and is divided into Upper and Lower Salt Lakes: the Upper Salt Lake mainly consists of mirabilite, with occasional small patches of green vegetation visible in the lake, and sparse populus euphratica trees growing along the shore. There is a magical willow tree whose roots emit a stream of sweet-tasting spring water; the Lower Salt Lake covers a larger area, with an endless expanse of water and an average depth of 1.2 meters. Being there feels like entering a “world of ice and snow,” leaving one in endless awe of nature’s wonders.

Nierkule Salt Lake is 13 kilometers long and 2–6 kilometers wide, with a total area of about 45 square kilometers. The salt ore layer is 0.2–1.25 meters thick, and the medium-grained salt crystals measure 0.2mm × 0.55mm; the salt is salty and pure, with grayish-white crystals containing 95% sodium chloride, 0.078% potassium, 0.17–0.33% boric oxide, and trace amounts of silver, lithium, gallium, and cerium. It also contains natural iodine and has an lithium oxide content of 0.05–4%, reaching up to 5.94%. The total reserves amount to 36.4 million tons.

Tuzisu Gaite Salt Lake is approximately 18 kilometers long and 2–4 kilometers wide, covering an area of about 50 square kilometers. The salt layer is 0.5–0.8 meters thick, with crystal sizes ranging between 5mm × 8mm and 2mm × 4mm. The salt grains are grayish-green, containing 94% sodium chloride, 0.39% calcium, 0.01% magnesium, 1.02% carbonate, 2.96% water-soluble matter, and 1.1% moisture. The salt reserves are 13.2 million tons, with 1.2 million tons of mirabilite.

Nierkule Salt Lake and Tuzisu Gaite Salt Lake are not only picturesque and surreal tourist destinations, but also ideal sites for investment and development.