In recent days, many people have started a panic buying of salt because of fears about radioactive pollution from Japan. Salt in stores, groceries, supermarkets sold out in a fairly short period of time.

However, if you take a look at the numerous salt lakes in China, you will know it is not necessary at all. China has plenty of salt storage and the salt lakes themselves are so beautiful that they can become tourist attractions.

Tsaidam Basin

Tsaidam Basin, located beside the Qinghai Lake, is a miraculous place where salt is everywhere, on the ground, under water, in soil and even the roads are paved with salt. Tsaidam Basin, with an elevation of 2,600 - 3,000m, a total area of more than 240,000 square kilometers, is the second biggest basin in China.

In Mongolian, Tsaidam means 'marsh of salt'. There are all together 33 salt lakes in Tsaidam Basin among which the Saka Salt Lake and the Qarhan Salt Lake are the two out of six key zones for development.

Known as 'the world of salt', Tsaidam Basin boasts three features: the greatest amount of reserves around the world plus a high quality and variety of salt.

Saka Salt Lake

The word Saka in Tibetan refers to 'salt lake coast'. With a total area of 105 square kilometers, Saka Salt Lake is a famous natural crystal salt lake where the salt is pure and tasty. The minerals contained in the salt there give the salt a relatively livid color. Also, the salt of Saka Salt Lake is called 'Livid Salt'.

Qarhan Salt Lake

In Mongolian, Qarhan means 'world of salt'. Qarhan Salt Lake, located in the western Tsaidam Basin is the biggest salt lake in China as well as one of the most famous inland salt lakes in the world. Qarhan Salt Lake is 750 kilometers from Xining, capital city of northwest China's Qinghai Province. Qarhan Salt Lake has an elevation of 2, 670 meters.

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