Table 1 Location, coordinates, altitude, and description of the water samples taken in the Qaidam Basin (see Fig. 2)

QD 1

Lake: Sulhai Hu

Salt lake, sample taken from boat

QD 2

Huanggua Liang

Small salt 'puddle'

QD 3

Spring nearby QD 2

Spring, slight bituminous smell, gas bubbles

QD 4

Spring nearby QD 3

Spring, with white border

QD 5

Pool in Dalangtan playa

Small pool in 'gypsum desert'

QD 6

Lake in Dalangtan playa

Salt lake in oilfield

QD 9

Brook from Karawatag Shan Mountains

Small brook N of Tomorlog

QD 10

Small lake near QD 9

QD 11

Brook: Seven Springs

Brook with reed in steep valley

QD 12

Small lake near lake Gas Hure Hu

Very small lake with greenish water in white salt pool

QD 13

Small pool near QD 12

Hole at the rim of seismic blasting with mud-dom

QD 15

River: Nasin Gol

Very large, red-brown river, meander, from Kunlun Mountains

QD 17

Lake: Dong Taijnar Hu

QD 18

Deep, broad trench near lake Dong Taijnar Hu

Water light-greenish

QD 19

Trench, NW of lake Dabusun Hu

Water dark-green-black, salt production

QD 20

Spring south of Golmud, near QD 21

QD 21

River: Golmud He, S of Golmud

Water turbid

QD 22

Lake: Dabusun Hu Dabusan Hu

Potassium firm, water light-green, salt crystals at rim and below water

QD 23

Lake: Xiao Qaidam Hu

At shore some vegetation and fly larvae

QD 24

Brook in Jun Ui Mountains

Canyon in red sanstone (Paleocene)

QD 25

Brook flowing in Xiao Qaidam Hu lake

QD 26

Thermal spring in Qaidam Shan mountains

Nearby white sinter

QD 27

Thermal spring in Qaidam Shan Mountains

QD 28

Brook uphill of QD 27

Sign. lower temperature

QD 29

Lake: Da Qaidam Hu

Bizarre salt structures 'vulcanos'

QD 30

River into lake Da Qaidam Hu

Much vegetation

QD 31

River: Ige He

QD 32

River: Quanji

Xitieshan Mountains, Quanji terrane, old water catchment

QD 33

Dunhuang, crescent lake

Water-posture artificial

QD 34

Spring in Xitieshan Mountains, near QD 32