"Mirabilite flowers" blossom in north China salt lake

This photo taken on Dec. 8, 2022 shows "mirabilite flowers", which are crystals transformed from sodium sulfate in cold weather, on the surface of a salt lake in Yuncheng, north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua)

TAIYUAN, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Amid the recent drop in temperatures, crystal-like "flowers" have grown out of the surface of a salt lake known as "China's Dead Sea" in north China's Shanxi Province.

Taking various shapes such as snow lotus blooms, corals, and pine needles, these beautiful flowers are known as "mirabilite flowers" or "salt flowers," which are crystals transformed from sodium sulfate in cold weather.

Located in the city of Yuncheng, the salt lake covered in "mirabilite flowers" has attracted many tourists. "It is not a scene that you can see very often. It only appears when the temperature is below minus 5 degrees Celsius," said local photographer Li Feng.

Covering an area of 132 square km, the lake is one of only three inland salt lakes in the world containing sodium sulfate. The amount of salt it contains is similar to that of the Dead Sea and allows humans to float on the lake. According to geologists, the lake was formed about 50 million years ago.

This photo taken on Dec. 8, 2022 shows "mirabilite flowers", which are crystals transformed from sodium sulfate in cold weather, on the surface of a salt lake in Yuncheng, north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua)

This photo taken on Dec. 8, 2022 shows "mirabilite flowers", which are crystals transformed from sodium sulfate in cold weather, on the surface of a salt lake in Yuncheng, north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua)