Lithium-rich salt lakes of the Qaidam Basin (Dongtai, Xitai, Yiliping, Qarhan)
Qinghai, Qaidam Basin, China
OtherLi (K, B, Mg)
- Type
- Continental salt lake brines
Hypersaline salt lakes of the Qaidam Basin, rich in lithium thanks to geothermal waters feeding their catchments. Their brines are clearly heavier than South American salar brines. At this late stage of their evolution, evaporite precipitation controls δ7Li more than clay adsorption.
δ7Li in ‰ (per mil) Values of the same system
Standard : L-SVEC, Non précisé dans la publication
| Value | Range | n | Mineral or matrix | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24.3 ‰ | 20 | brine (basin-wide) Median of 20 analyses compiled by the authors after He et al. (2020), Ore Geology Reviews 117:103277; interquartile range +16.1 to +31.4 ‰, not entered as minimum and maximum. | Desaulty et al. (2022), Tracing the origin of lithium in Li-ion batteries using lithium i… | |
| 17.34 ‰ | 1 | Dongtai salt lake brine (sample DT-44) Natural brine with 138 mg/L lithium, before the evaporation experiment. After evaporation, the residual brine (339 mg/L) is +17.11 ‰ and the precipitated halite +17.17 ‰: no significant fractionation. | Song et al. (2025), The evolution of lithium resources and isotopic composition in salt l… |
Deposits of the same type
Cite this page
IsoFind Atlas (2026). Lithium-rich salt lakes of the Qaidam Basin (Dongtai, Xitai, Yiliping, Qarhan), isotope signatures. https://www.isofind.tech/isotopes/en/deposits/lacs-sales-lithiniferes-du-bassin-du-qaidam-dongtai-xitai-yiliping-qarhan/ (accessed 2026-10-13).
@misc{isofind2026lithiumrichsaltlakesoftheqaid,
title = {Lithium-rich salt lakes of the Qaidam Basin (Dongtai, Xitai, Yiliping, Qarhan), isotope signatures},
author = {{IsoFind Atlas}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://www.isofind.tech/isotopes/en/deposits/lacs-sales-lithiniferes-du-bassin-du-qaidam-dongtai-xitai-yiliping-qarhan/},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13}
}Updated : 2026-10-13