青海有大(da)(da)大(da)(da)小小的(de)鹽湖(hu)100多(duo)個,其(qi)中一(yi)個大(da)(da)一(yi)點兒(er)的(de)鹽湖(hu)的(de)鹽就夠全世界(jie)使用數十年(nian)、上百年(nian)。在青海的(de)鹽湖(hu)中,最(zui)大(da)(da)也(ye)最(zui)出名的(de)是茶(cha)卡鹽湖(hu)、察爾(er)汗鹽湖(hu)和柯(ke)柯(ke)鹽湖(hu),它們都(dou)分布在柴達木盆地。
青(qing)海(hai)湖鹽(yan)是一(yi)種天(tian)然(ran)鹽(yan),含(han)有豐富(fu)的礦物(wu)質和微量元素,符合食品安全標準,可(ke)(ke)以安心食用。青(qing)海(hai)湖鹽(yan)可(ke)(ke)以像普(pu)通食用鹽(yan)一(yi)樣,用于調味(wei)和烹飪(ren)。它(ta)的獨特風味(wei)和豐富(fu)的礦物(wu)質含(han)量可(ke)(ke)以為食物(wu)增添美(mei)味(wei)和營(ying)養。
茶(cha)卡(ka)(ka)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)湖位于茶(cha)卡(ka)(ka)盆地中心,茶(cha)卡(ka)(ka)鎮南面(mian)(mian)。茶(cha)卡(ka)(ka)是蒙古(gu)語,意為“鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)海”。茶(cha)卡(ka)(ka)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)湖面(mian)(mian)積100多平方公里。茶(cha)卡(ka)(ka)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)晶(jing),晶(jing)大質(zhi)純,鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)味醇(chun)香。生產的食鹽(yan)(yan)(yan),銷往全國許多省區。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)的形狀多樣,有珍珠鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、玻璃(li)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、珊瑚鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、水(shui)晶(jing)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、雪花鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、粉條鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、蘑菇鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)等。只要揭開10多厘米厚的鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)蓋,就可以(yi)從下面(mian)(mian)撈取天然的結晶(jing)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)。開采過的鹵(lu)水(shui),幾年后又(you)重新結晶(jing)成鹽(yan)(yan)(yan),真是取之不盡。
察爾(er)汗鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖(hu)(hu)位于(yu)柴達木(mu)盆地中南(nan)部,海(hai)(hai)拔2670米,南(nan)北(bei)寬40多(duo)(duo)公(gong)里(li),東西長(chang)140多(duo)(duo)公(gong)里(li),總面(mian)(mian)積5800多(duo)(duo)平方公(gong)里(li),距格爾(er)木(mu)市約60多(duo)(duo)公(gong)里(li),北(bei)距大柴旦(dan)110多(duo)(duo)公(gong)里(li)。它是(shi)(shi)青海(hai)(hai)最大的(de)(de)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)礦資源,盛(sheng)產(chan)(chan)鉀(jia)(jia)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、食鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),還有(you)鎂、鋰、硼、碘等多(duo)(duo)種礦產(chan)(chan)。已建有(you)大型的(de)(de)鉀(jia)(jia)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)廠。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖(hu)(hu)面(mian)(mian)上(shang)覆蓋著一層(ceng)薄的(de)(de)沙(sha)土,下面(mian)(mian)是(shi)(shi)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)的(de)(de)形狀奇特,有(you)的(de)(de)像(xiang)(xiang)珍珠寶石花,也有(you)的(de)(de)像(xiang)(xiang)寶塔、星斗,主要(yao)為白色(se),還有(you)紅(hong)、青、藍、黑色(se)的(de)(de)。人們(men)把不同形狀的(de)(de)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)叫珍珠鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、玻璃鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、珊瑚鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、水井鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、雪花鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、粉條(tiao)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、蘑(mo)菇(gu)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)等。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖(hu)(hu)上(shang)風和日麗時(shi),有(you)時(shi)可以看(kan)到(dao)“海(hai)(hai)市蜃樓”。在鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖(hu)(hu)上(shang),還修筑了以鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)鋪的(de)(de)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)橋(qiao)公(gong)路(lu)。
萬(wan)丈鹽(yan)橋(qiao)是用鹽(yan)在察爾汗鹽(yan)湖湖面(mian)上鋪成的(de)32公(gong)(gong)里(li)長(chang)的(de)公(gong)(gong)路(lu),素(su)稱萬(wan)丈鹽(yan)橋(qiao)。它打破了外國專(zhuan)家“鹽(yan)含量超過40%的(de)地區(qu)不能(neng)修(xiu)筑公(gong)(gong)路(lu)”的(de)神(shen)話(hua)。鹽(yan)公(gong)(gong)路(lu)路(lu)面(mian)平整光滑(hua),與柏油馬路(lu)無兩樣。路(lu)面(mian)出現坑凹,用鹵水一澆,隨(sui)后凝結(jie)即可填平。它怕雨(yu)(yu)水,因水可溶解鹽(yan),但這里(li)幾乎終年沒(mei)有雨(yu)(yu)水。