Xiaobiele Lake
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Xiaobiele Lake
|native_name ={{native name|zh|小别勒湖}}
| image =
| caption =
| image_bathymetry =
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| location = Golmud County
Haixi Prefecture
Qinghai Province
China
| coords = {{coord|37|03|00|N|94|39|19|E|region:CN-63_type:waterbody_scale:1000000|display=inline,title|format=dms}}
| pushpin_map = Qinghai
| type = Endorheic saline lake
| inflow =
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| catchment =
| basin_countries = China
| length =
| width =
| area = {{convert|0|-|6.25|sqkm|sp=us|abbr=on}}
| depth =
| max-depth =
| volume =
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| shore =
| elevation = {{convert|2676.4|m|sp=us|abbr=on}}
| islands =
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}}
{{chinese
|t= {{linktext|小別勒|湖}} |s={{linktext|小别勒|湖}}
|p=Xiǎobiélè Hú
Xiǎo Biélè Hú |w=Hsiao-pieh-le Hu
Hsiao Pieh-le Hu |l=
|altname=Xiaobieletan
|t2= {{linktext|小別勒|灘}} |s2={{linktext|小别勒|滩}}
|p2=Xiǎobiélètān
Xiǎobiélè Tān |w2=Hsiao-pieh-le-t‘an
Hsiao Pieh-le T‘an |l2=
}}
Xiaobiele Lake or Xiaobieletan is an ephemeral lake in the southwestern Qarhan Playa north of Golmud in the Haixi Prefecture of Qinghai Province in northwestern China. Like the other lakes of the surrounding Qaidam Basin, it is extremely saline; like the other lakes of the surrounding Bieletan subbasin, it is rich in lithium.
{{anchor|Toponymy|Etymology|Name}}
Names
The xiao at the beginning of the name is the pinyin romanization of the Chinese word meaning "little" or "lesser", distinguishing it from nearby Dabiele Lake ("Big" or "Greater Biele Lake"). Xiaobiele is also known as Xiaobieletan{{sfnp|Yu & al.|2001|p=62}} from a Chinese word used for both beaches and muddy riverbanks.
Geography
Xiaobiele Lake is an ephemeral salt lake{{sfnp|Yu & al.|2013|p=176}} in the Bieletan subbasin{{sfnp|Du & al.|2018|pp=2–3}} in the southwestern quarter of the Qarhan Playa at an elevation of {{convert|2676.4|m|sp=us|abbr=on}}.{{harvp|Zheng|1997|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=NvD-RMX58cIC&pg=PA15 15]}} It lies between Dabiele and West Dabusun Lakes. It is usually {{convert|6.25|sqkm|sp=us|abbr=on}} wide. Its depth usually does not exceed {{convert|1|m|sp=us|abbr=on}}.{{sfnp|Yu & al.|2001|p=62}}
Geology
Xiaobiele's position at the south end of the playa means that its waters are relatively less influenced by the concentrated mineral springs along the playa's northern boundary.{{sfnp|Spencer & al.|1990|pp=398–399}} As with Dabiele, it is nonetheless nearly saturated with calcite, anhydrite, halite, and (importantly) carnallite,{{sfnp|Spencer & al.|1990|p=405}} which is processed to produce potash for potassium-rich fertilizers and other uses. The Bieletan subbasin as a whole{{mdash}}inclusive of Suli, S. Suli, and Dabiele{{mdash}}is also the richest source of brine lithium in China, with an estimated store of {{convert|7.74|e6MT|e6ST|sp=us|abbr=off}} of lithium chloride.{{sfnp|Yu & al.|2013|pp=171–172}} The lithium derives from hot springs located near Mount Buka Daban which now feed the Narin Gol River or Hongshui River{{sfnp|Yu & al.|2013|pp=177–178}} {{nowrap|(t {{lang|zh|{{linktext|紅水|河}}}},}} {{nowrap|s {{lang|zh|{{linktext|红水|河}}}},}} Hóngshuǐ Hé) that flows into East Taijinar Lake.{{sfnp|Yu & al.|2013|p=173}} In the past, however, the springs lay within the "Kunlun" paleolake which until about 30,000 years ago produced a river which flowed north into a broad alluvial fan feeding the "Qarhan" paleolake in the Sanhu area.{{sfnp|Yu & al.|2013|pp=172–173}} Bieletan's lithium came both from deposits directly flowing into the area at the time and continuing contributions from the Urt Moron and other rivers arising in and flowing through the former alluvial plain.{{sfnp|Yu & al.|2013|p=182}}
See also
References
=Citations=
{{reflist}}
=Bibliography=
- {{citation |last=Du |first=Yongsheng |author-mask=Du Yongsheng |author2=Fan Qishun |display-authors=1 |ref={{harvid|Du & al.|2018}} |date=April 2018 |author3=Teng Xueming |url=https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-showing-the-location-of-drilling-cores-and-salt-lakes-in-the-Qaidam-Basin-a-Map_fig1_324203942 |title=Evalutation of Boron Isotopes in Halite as an Indicator of the Salinity of Qarhan Paleolake Water in the Eastern Qaidam Basin, Western China |journal=Geoscience Frontiers |volume=10 |doi=10.1016/j.gsf.2018.02.016 |author4=Gao Donglin |author5=Wei Haicheng |pages=253–262 |publisher=China University of Geosciences |location=Beijing |author6=Shan Fashou |author7=Li Binkai |author8=Zhang Xiangru |author9=Yuan Qin |author10=Qin Zhanjie |author11=Ren Qianhui |issue=1 |doi-access=free }}.
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- {{citation |last=Yu |first=Ge |ref={{harvid|Yu & al.|2001}} |author-mask=Yu Ge |author2=Sandy P. Harrison |author3=Xue Bin |display-authors=1 |url=http://www.bridge.bris.ac.uk/projects/GLSDB/report_4.pdf |title=Lake Status Records from China: Data Base Documentation |series=MPI-BGC Tech Rep, No. 4 |date=2001 |publisher=Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry |location=Jena }}.
- {{citation |last=Yu |first=Junqing |author-mask=Yu Junqing |display-authors=1 |ref={{harvid|Yu & al.|2013}} |contribution-url=http://english.isl.cas.cn/rh/rp/201303/P020130304540516746529.pdf |contribution=Geomorphic, Hydroclimatic, and Hydrothermal Controls on the Formation of Lithium Brine Deposits in the Qaidam Basin, Northern Tibetan Plateau, China |title=Ore Geology Reviews |url=http://www.elsevier.com/locate/oregeorev |publisher=Elvesier |location=Amsterdam |volume=50 |pages=171–183 |author2=Gao Chunliang |author3=Cheng Aiying |author4=Liu Yong |author5=Lisa Zhang |author6=He Xianhu |date=2013 |doi=10.1016/j.oregeorev.2012.11.001 }}.
- {{citation |last=Zheng |first=Mianping |author-mask=Zheng Mianping |title=An Introduction to Saline Lakes on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hFz-CAAAQBAJ |publisher=Kluwer Academic Publishers |location=Dordrecht |date=1997 |isbn=9789401154581 }}.