Which desert in China occupies the basin surrounding Qarhan Salt Lake?

The desert occupying the basin surrounding Qarhan Salt Lake is the Qaidam Desert.

The Qaidam Desert lies within the Qaidam Basin in Qinghai Province, on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Mountains surround the basin, creating a rain-shadow environment with very low precipitation. Much of the landscape consists of gravel plains, salt flats, playas, and sandy areas rather than continuous dunes.

Qaidam is especially important for its mineral resources. Qarhan Salt Lake, one of China’s largest salt lakes, contains deposits of potassium, magnesium, and lithium. These resources support major chemical and fertilizer industries, although extraction must be managed carefully in this fragile arid ecosystem.

The desert is sometimes confused with the Gobi or Taklamakan. Unlike those better-known deserts, Qaidam is a high-elevation basin, with much of the terrain lying above 2,600 metres. The Qinghai–Tibet railway crosses the region, linking inland China with Lhasa.