Muyunkum Desert
Мойынқұм
Location in Kazakhstan
Location	Kazakhstan / Kyrgyzstan
Coordinates	43°53′N 71°52′E / 43.883°N 71.867°E / 43.883; 71.867Coordinates: 43°53′N 71°52′E / 43.883°N 71.867°E / 43.883; 71.867
Elevation	300 meters (980 ft) to 700 meters (2,300 ft)
Area	37,500 km2 (14,500 sq mi)

The Muyunkum Desert (Kazakh: Мойынқұм, Moıynqum, Russian: Мойынку́м or Муюнкум) is a desert in the Jambyl Region of southern Kazakhstan. It extends from the Chu River in the north to the Karatau Mountains and Kyrgyz Ala-Too Range in the south and east. Its altitude varies from 300m in the north to 700m in the southeast.

Common plant types in the desert include the saksaul, milkvetch, mugwort and sedge.

Climate

The climate of the desert is continental. Temperatures drop to as low as -40 °C in January and rise to around 50 °C in July.^[1]

Mining

The desert is known to harbor deposits of uranium, with the South Inkai mine of Uranium One and the Inkai Uranium Project of Cameco. The uranium mines at Tortkuduk and Muyunkum are operated by the Franco-Kazakh firm KATCO.^[2]