There are a great number of salt lakes in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and salt lakes are rich in salt minerals in.Fifty three kinds of salt minerals are found in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,and according to the chemical types they are divided into the chloride,the sulphate,the carbonate and the borax.Five new minerals are first found,including the hungchaoite,the macallisterite,the carboborite in the Da Qaidam Lake,the qilianshanite in the Juhongtu and the zabuyelite in the Zabuye Lake.According to Professor Zheng Mianping,the saline minerals are divided into the cold,warm and eurythermal saline minerals.It is known as a "temperature-hygrometer" as far as the ancient climate is concerned.In recent years,the climatic significance of salt minerals is gradually recognized.According to the temperature of formation and preservation,the salt minerals can be divided into the cold salt mineral,the warm salt mineral and the wide temperature salt mineral.This kind of classification is known as the "temperature-humidity meter" of the ancient climate.The mirabilite,as a representative of the typical cold salt minerals,is formed in the stable and unstable salt layer in different temperatures.On the other hand,the zabuyelitewill is formed easily in a higher temperature,so it is called typical warm salt mineral.According to the symbiotic relationship of different minerals,we can study the palaeo-environment and paleo-climate of the lake.

saline mineral  /  new mineral  /  paleoclimate  /  Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau