Salar de Uyuni

South America is home to many interesting land formations and natural wonders, including Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat on Earth. The area is the remnant of prehistoric Lake Minchin, which left behind the enormous salt deposits visible today along with two smaller lakes, Poopó Lake and Uru Uru Lake. Salar de Uyuni contains approximately 10 billion tons of salt, 25,000 tons which are mined annually.

Salar de Uyuni is a fairly barren landscape, but wildlife does exist, primarily around the shores of its two lakes. Extremophiles, organisms that can survive in seemingly harsh conditions, like red algae prosper in the salt lakes and are a reliable source of food for flamingoes which congregate around the lakes. Several different species of cacti have also adapted to live in the difficult growing conditions.

When it rains on Salar de Uyuni, much of the water is not initially absorbed into the ground, which causes much of the flat to be covered in a shallow pool of water. When this happens, the land looks very much like a mirror, casting a reflection of sunlight and the sky. This phenomenon is utilized for satellite calibration in space because it is such a large, visible target.

In addition to having the world’s largest salt deposit, Salar de Uyuni also contains half of the world’s known Lithium reserves. As more and more efficient lithium powered batteries are being produced, this region will undoubtedly be a huge resource for fuel-efficient cars and other items requiring high-powered, long-lasting batteries.

Related Resources
A Visual Exploration of Biodiversity: Planet Earth (Environmental Science, Biology)
Global Environmental Change Series: Biodiversity (Biology, Earth Science)
International Conservation Policies (Biology, World History, American history, American Government, Economics, Environmental Science)

Photo Credit: Luca Galuzzi (Front Page) and US Government, Public Domain (Above)