青海(hai)有大大小小的(de)鹽(yan)湖(hu)100多(duo)個,其中(zhong)一(yi)個大一(yi)點兒的(de)鹽(yan)湖(hu)的(de)鹽(yan)就(jiu)夠全世(shi)界使用數十(shi)年、上百年。在(zai)(zai)青海(hai)的(de)鹽(yan)湖(hu)中(zhong),最大也最出名(ming)的(de)是茶卡鹽(yan)湖(hu)、察爾汗鹽(yan)湖(hu)和(he)柯柯鹽(yan)湖(hu),它們(men)都分布(bu)在(zai)(zai)柴達(da)木盆地。
青(qing)海湖鹽(yan)是一種天(tian)然(ran)鹽(yan),含有(you)豐(feng)富(fu)的(de)(de)礦物(wu)(wu)質(zhi)和(he)微量元素,符合食品安(an)全(quan)標準,可以(yi)安(an)心(xin)食用(yong)。青(qing)海湖鹽(yan)可以(yi)像普通食用(yong)鹽(yan)一樣,用(yong)于調(diao)味(wei)和(he)烹飪。它(ta)的(de)(de)獨特風(feng)味(wei)和(he)豐(feng)富(fu)的(de)(de)礦物(wu)(wu)質(zhi)含量可以(yi)為食物(wu)(wu)增添美味(wei)和(he)營養(yang)。
茶(cha)卡(ka)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖位(wei)于茶(cha)卡(ka)盆地中心,茶(cha)卡(ka)鎮(zhen)南面。茶(cha)卡(ka)是蒙古語,意為“鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)海”。茶(cha)卡(ka)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖面積100多(duo)平方公(gong)里(li)。茶(cha)卡(ka)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)晶(jing)(jing),晶(jing)(jing)大質(zhi)純,鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)味醇香。生產(chan)的(de)食鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),銷往全國許多(duo)省區。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)的(de)形(xing)狀多(duo)樣,有珍珠鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、玻(bo)璃鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、珊(shan)瑚鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、水晶(jing)(jing)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、雪(xue)花(hua)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、粉條鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、蘑菇(gu)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)等。只要(yao)揭開10多(duo)厘米(mi)厚(hou)的(de)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)蓋,就可以(yi)從(cong)下面撈取天然的(de)結(jie)晶(jing)(jing)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)。開采(cai)過的(de)鹵水,幾年(nian)后又(you)重新結(jie)晶(jing)(jing)成鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),真(zhen)是取之不盡(jin)。
察爾(er)汗鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)湖位(wei)于柴(chai)達木盆地(di)中南部,海拔2670米,南北(bei)寬40多(duo)公(gong)(gong)里,東西長140多(duo)公(gong)(gong)里,總面積5800多(duo)平(ping)方公(gong)(gong)里,距格(ge)爾(er)木市約60多(duo)公(gong)(gong)里,北(bei)距大(da)柴(chai)旦110多(duo)公(gong)(gong)里。它是青海最大(da)的鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)礦(kuang)資源,盛產鉀(jia)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、食鹽(yan)(yan)(yan),還有鎂、鋰、硼、碘等(deng)多(duo)種礦(kuang)產。已建有大(da)型的鉀(jia)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)廠。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)湖面上覆蓋著一層(ceng)薄的沙土,下面是鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)的形狀(zhuang)奇特(te),有的像(xiang)珍珠寶(bao)石花(hua),也有的像(xiang)寶(bao)塔、星斗,主要為白色(se),還有紅、青、藍(lan)、黑色(se)的。人們把(ba)不同形狀(zhuang)的鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)叫珍珠鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、玻璃鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、珊瑚鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、水井(jing)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、雪花(hua)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、粉(fen)條鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、蘑菇鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)等(deng)。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)湖上風和日麗(li)時(shi),有時(shi)可以(yi)看到(dao)“海市蜃樓”。在鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)湖上,還修筑了以(yi)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)鋪的鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)橋公(gong)(gong)路。
萬丈(zhang)鹽(yan)(yan)橋是(shi)用鹽(yan)(yan)在察爾汗鹽(yan)(yan)湖湖面上鋪成的32公(gong)里(li)長的公(gong)路,素稱萬丈(zhang)鹽(yan)(yan)橋。它(ta)打破了(le)外國專家“鹽(yan)(yan)含(han)量超過(guo)40%的地(di)區不能修筑公(gong)路”的神話。鹽(yan)(yan)公(gong)路路面平(ping)整光滑,與(yu)柏油(you)馬路無兩樣。路面出現坑凹,用鹵水(shui)(shui)一澆,隨后(hou)凝結即可填(tian)平(ping)。它(ta)怕雨(yu)水(shui)(shui),因水(shui)(shui)可溶(rong)解鹽(yan)(yan),但這里(li)幾乎終年沒有雨(yu)水(shui)(shui)。