青海有大(da)大(da)小小的(de)鹽(yan)湖(hu)(hu)100多(duo)個(ge)(ge),其中(zhong)一個(ge)(ge)大(da)一點兒的(de)鹽(yan)湖(hu)(hu)的(de)鹽(yan)就夠(gou)全(quan)世界使用(yong)數十年、上百年。在青海的(de)鹽(yan)湖(hu)(hu)中(zhong),最大(da)也最出(chu)名的(de)是茶(cha)卡鹽(yan)湖(hu)(hu)、察爾(er)汗鹽(yan)湖(hu)(hu)和柯柯鹽(yan)湖(hu)(hu),它們都分布在柴達木盆(pen)地。
青海(hai)湖鹽是一(yi)種(zhong)天然鹽,含有豐富的(de)(de)礦物質和微量元(yuan)素,符合食品安全(quan)標準,可以(yi)安心食用(yong)(yong)。青海(hai)湖鹽可以(yi)像普(pu)通食用(yong)(yong)鹽一(yi)樣,用(yong)(yong)于(yu)調味(wei)和烹(peng)飪。它的(de)(de)獨特風味(wei)和豐富的(de)(de)礦物質含量可以(yi)為食物增添美味(wei)和營養(yang)。
茶卡(ka)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖(hu)位于茶卡(ka)盆(pen)地中心,茶卡(ka)鎮南面。茶卡(ka)是蒙(meng)古語,意為“鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)海”。茶卡(ka)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖(hu)面積100多(duo)平方公(gong)里。茶卡(ka)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)晶(jing)(jing),晶(jing)(jing)大(da)質純,鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)味醇香。生(sheng)產的(de)食鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),銷往全國許多(duo)省區。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)的(de)形狀多(duo)樣,有珍(zhen)珠鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、玻璃鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、珊瑚鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、水(shui)晶(jing)(jing)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、雪花(hua)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、粉條鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、蘑(mo)菇(gu)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)等。只要揭開(kai)10多(duo)厘米厚的(de)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)蓋,就可(ke)以從下面撈取天然的(de)結(jie)晶(jing)(jing)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)。開(kai)采過的(de)鹵水(shui),幾年后又重新結(jie)晶(jing)(jing)成鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),真(zhen)是取之不盡(jin)。
察爾(er)汗鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖(hu)位(wei)于柴達木盆地中(zhong)南部,海拔2670米(mi),南北寬40多(duo)(duo)(duo)公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li),東西長140多(duo)(duo)(duo)公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li),總面(mian)(mian)積(ji)5800多(duo)(duo)(duo)平(ping)方公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li),距格爾(er)木市約(yue)60多(duo)(duo)(duo)公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li),北距大柴旦110多(duo)(duo)(duo)公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li)。它是(shi)(shi)青海最大的(de)(de)(de)(de)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)礦資(zi)源,盛產鉀(jia)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、食鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),還有鎂、鋰、硼、碘等(deng)多(duo)(duo)(duo)種礦產。已建有大型(xing)的(de)(de)(de)(de)鉀(jia)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)廠。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖(hu)面(mian)(mian)上(shang)覆(fu)蓋著一層(ceng)薄(bo)的(de)(de)(de)(de)沙土(tu),下面(mian)(mian)是(shi)(shi)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)形狀(zhuang)奇特,有的(de)(de)(de)(de)像珍(zhen)(zhen)珠寶石花(hua),也有的(de)(de)(de)(de)像寶塔、星斗,主(zhu)要為白色,還有紅、青、藍、黑色的(de)(de)(de)(de)。人們把不(bu)同形狀(zhuang)的(de)(de)(de)(de)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)叫珍(zhen)(zhen)珠鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、玻(bo)璃鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、珊(shan)瑚鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、水井鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、雪花(hua)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、粉條(tiao)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、蘑菇鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)等(deng)。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖(hu)上(shang)風和日麗(li)時,有時可以看到“海市蜃樓”。在鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖(hu)上(shang),還修筑了(le)以鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)鋪(pu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)橋公(gong)(gong)路。
萬(wan)丈(zhang)鹽橋(qiao)是用(yong)鹽在察爾(er)汗鹽湖湖面(mian)上鋪(pu)成的(de)32公里長的(de)公路(lu)(lu),素稱萬(wan)丈(zhang)鹽橋(qiao)。它(ta)打破了(le)外國專家“鹽含量超過40%的(de)地區不能修筑(zhu)公路(lu)(lu)”的(de)神(shen)話(hua)。鹽公路(lu)(lu)路(lu)(lu)面(mian)平(ping)整(zheng)光(guang)滑,與柏油馬路(lu)(lu)無兩樣。路(lu)(lu)面(mian)出現坑凹,用(yong)鹵水(shui)一澆(jiao),隨后凝結即可填(tian)平(ping)。它(ta)怕雨(yu)水(shui),因水(shui)可溶(rong)解鹽,但這里幾乎終年沒(mei)有雨(yu)水(shui)。