青海(hai)有(you)大(da)大(da)小小的(de)鹽湖100多個,其(qi)中(zhong)一個大(da)一點兒(er)的(de)鹽湖的(de)鹽就夠全世界使用數十年(nian)、上(shang)百年(nian)。在(zai)(zai)青海(hai)的(de)鹽湖中(zhong),最(zui)大(da)也最(zui)出名(ming)的(de)是(shi)茶卡鹽湖、察(cha)爾汗鹽湖和柯(ke)柯(ke)鹽湖,它們都分布在(zai)(zai)柴達木盆地。
青海湖鹽(yan)是一種天然鹽(yan),含(han)有豐(feng)富(fu)的礦(kuang)物質和微量(liang)元素,符合食(shi)(shi)品安(an)全標準,可(ke)以(yi)安(an)心食(shi)(shi)用(yong)。青海湖鹽(yan)可(ke)以(yi)像(xiang)普通(tong)食(shi)(shi)用(yong)鹽(yan)一樣,用(yong)于(yu)調味和烹(peng)飪。它的獨特(te)風味和豐(feng)富(fu)的礦(kuang)物質含(han)量(liang)可(ke)以(yi)為食(shi)(shi)物增添美味和營養。
茶卡(ka)(ka)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)湖(hu)位于茶卡(ka)(ka)盆地中心,茶卡(ka)(ka)鎮南面(mian)。茶卡(ka)(ka)是蒙(meng)古語,意為(wei)“鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)海”。茶卡(ka)(ka)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)湖(hu)面(mian)積(ji)100多(duo)(duo)平方公(gong)里。茶卡(ka)(ka)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)晶(jing)(jing),晶(jing)(jing)大質(zhi)純,鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)味醇香。生(sheng)產(chan)的(de)(de)食(shi)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan),銷往全國許多(duo)(duo)省區。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)的(de)(de)形(xing)狀多(duo)(duo)樣,有(you)珍珠鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、玻璃(li)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、珊瑚鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、水晶(jing)(jing)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、雪花鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、粉(fen)條鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)、蘑(mo)菇鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)等。只(zhi)要揭開10多(duo)(duo)厘米(mi)厚(hou)的(de)(de)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)蓋,就可以從下面(mian)撈取(qu)天然的(de)(de)結晶(jing)(jing)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)。開采過的(de)(de)鹵水,幾年后又重新結晶(jing)(jing)成鹽(yan)(yan)(yan),真是取(qu)之不盡(jin)。
察爾汗鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖位于柴(chai)達(da)木盆地中南(nan)部,海(hai)拔(ba)2670米(mi),南(nan)北寬40多(duo)公(gong)(gong)里(li),東西長140多(duo)公(gong)(gong)里(li),總(zong)面積5800多(duo)平(ping)方(fang)公(gong)(gong)里(li),距格爾木市(shi)約60多(duo)公(gong)(gong)里(li),北距大柴(chai)旦(dan)110多(duo)公(gong)(gong)里(li)。它(ta)是(shi)青海(hai)最(zui)大的(de)(de)(de)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)礦資源,盛產(chan)鉀(jia)(jia)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、食鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),還有(you)(you)(you)(you)鎂(mei)、鋰、硼、碘等多(duo)種礦產(chan)。已建有(you)(you)(you)(you)大型的(de)(de)(de)鉀(jia)(jia)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)廠。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖面上覆蓋著一層(ceng)薄的(de)(de)(de)沙土(tu),下面是(shi)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)的(de)(de)(de)形狀(zhuang)奇(qi)特,有(you)(you)(you)(you)的(de)(de)(de)像珍珠寶(bao)石花(hua)(hua),也(ye)有(you)(you)(you)(you)的(de)(de)(de)像寶(bao)塔(ta)、星(xing)斗,主(zhu)要為(wei)白色,還有(you)(you)(you)(you)紅、青、藍、黑色的(de)(de)(de)。人們把不同形狀(zhuang)的(de)(de)(de)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)叫(jiao)珍珠鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、玻璃鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、珊瑚(hu)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、水井鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、雪(xue)花(hua)(hua)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、粉條鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、蘑菇鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)等。鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖上風(feng)和日麗(li)時,有(you)(you)(you)(you)時可(ke)以看到“海(hai)市(shi)蜃樓”。在(zai)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)湖上,還修筑了以鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)鋪的(de)(de)(de)鹽(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)橋(qiao)公(gong)(gong)路。
萬丈(zhang)鹽(yan)(yan)橋是用鹽(yan)(yan)在察爾(er)汗鹽(yan)(yan)湖(hu)湖(hu)面(mian)(mian)上(shang)鋪成(cheng)的32公里長(chang)的公路(lu),素稱萬丈(zhang)鹽(yan)(yan)橋。它(ta)打破(po)了(le)外(wai)國(guo)專家“鹽(yan)(yan)含量(liang)超過40%的地區不(bu)能(neng)修筑公路(lu)”的神(shen)話。鹽(yan)(yan)公路(lu)路(lu)面(mian)(mian)平(ping)整光滑,與柏油(you)馬路(lu)無(wu)兩樣。路(lu)面(mian)(mian)出現坑(keng)凹,用鹵(lu)水一澆,隨后凝結(jie)即可填平(ping)。它(ta)怕雨(yu)水,因水可溶解(jie)鹽(yan)(yan),但這(zhe)里幾乎終(zhong)年(nian)沒有雨(yu)水。