| Lake Elton Эльтон | |
|---|---|
 The shores of Lake Elton | |
  Lake Elton Эльтон Location within Russia  Lake Elton Эльтон Lake Elton Эльтон (Volgograd Oblast) .png) Lake Elton Эльтон Lake Elton Эльтон (Continental Asia) | |
| Location | Volgograd Oblast |
| Coordinates | 49°8′0″N 46°40′0″E / 49.13333°N 46.66667°E |
| Type | Hypersaline lake |
| Basin countries | Russia |
| Surface area | 150 km2 (58 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 0.6 m (2 ft 0 in) |
| Surface elevation | −18 m (−59 ft) |
Lake Elton (Russian: Эльтон; Kazakh: Эльтон, romanized: Elton) is a salt lake in Volgograd Oblast, Russia, near the border with Kazakhstan. It has an area of 152 km² and is about 0.1 m deep (in spring 0.7 to 0.8 m). Its surface is 18 m below sea level.[1] The lake’s name originates from the Mongol language: “Altyn-Nor” (Golden Bottom). Long ago local nomads used the lake’s mineral-rich mud for skin and respiratory treatments.[2] For centuries, Lake Elton was a favorite location for Russian rulers and nobles. One can still see remnants of Empress Yekaterina II’s “bath” there.[2]
It is the largest mineral lake in Europe and one of the most mineralized in the world. The lake is filled with saturated salt solution. Mineralization is 200-500 g/L. Salt, extracted from the lake since the early 18th century, is used for the production of magnesium chloride.[3] The water contains Dunaliella salina algae that give a reddish shade to the lake. At the bottom of the lake - deposits of salts (mainly NaCl, KCl) and under them a layer of mineral hydrogen sulfide mud.
