This “alien” landscape was not filmed in some southern American state, but in Russian Siberia. The pink salt lake, known as Burlinskoye, or Bursol, is located in the Slavgorod municipality of the Altai Territory. This body of water is also called the “Martian highlight of Altai,” the “Tsar’s salt shaker,” or simply the “Pink Lake.” Its hue varies from soft pink to bright scarlet, and with increasing ambient temperature, the color becomes more saturated. But the lake is famous not only for its unusual color, but also for its ancient salt mining. And what makes this place even more amazing and surreal is the railroad — the rails from the shore go straight into the lake and go under the water. The effect of a train moving on the water is amazing.
A train travels along the bottom of Lake Burshtyn. Photo source: dzen.ru
Contents
- 1 Burlin Lake – the most unusual lake in the Altai Territory
- 2 Why is the water in Burlin Lake red
- 3 Extraction of table salt
- 4 Railroad at the bottom of the lake
Burlin Lake – the most unusual lake in the Altai Territory
Bursol is a closed salt lake located 20 kilometers from the city of Slavgorod in the western part of the Kulunda Plain. On the shore of the reservoir there is a village of the same name – Bursol. The lake is quite large – its water surface area exceeds 31 square kilometers. However, it is not deep – the average depth is about 1.65 meters.
The color of the water in the lake changes from light pink to crimson. Photo source: tourister.ru
The reservoir is located at an altitude of 86.6 meters above sea level and is located in a basin with steep rocky banks from 3 to 5 meters high. Only the eastern shore is flat and swampy. From the opposite side, small streams flow into the lake, which periodically dry up.
The soil around Lake Burshtyn is also heavily saline. It is literally covered with salt porridge for several hundred meters. This makes the landscape look even more unusual. Only a few plant species can survive in such conditions and they grow along the shore – these are Popov's club-rush, red stream grass and brown sedge.
On sunny, hot days, the color of the water becomes especially saturated. Photo source: dzen.ru
Why is the water in Burlinskoye Lake red
The water in the lake is very salty, and its density is even higher than in the Dead Sea. Total mineralization is 253 g/l. It is very easy to swim in such water, as it literally pushes the body to the surface. In the spring, when the streams fill with water and flow into the lake, its level rises and its density decreases slightly. In this case, the water ceases to be red and acquires a green tint. When the streams dry up, the red color returns. But what is the reason for such an unusual color?
The reason is not the high iron and copper content, as is the case, for example, with the Rio Tinto “bloody river” in Spain. The water is colored by microscopic red algae Dunaliella and crustaceans Artemia salina. In this regard, Bursol is similar to Lake Hillier in Australia, which we talked about earlier. By the way, the aforementioned Dead Sea also sometimes turns red because of algae.
The density of water in Bursoli is higher than in the Dead Sea
During their life cycle, the algae produce a pigment that causes Burlin Lake to change color from pale salmon to crimson. But in order for the algae to produce pigment, they need warm weather and sunlight. The more sun, the more active the algae, and as a result, as mentioned above, the color becomes more saturated. Therefore, if you decide to visit Burlin Lake, it is best to do so on hot summer days.
Extraction of table salt
Bursol has a rich history of table salt mining, which goes back several centuries, and has been done since 1762. During the time of Catherine II, salt from this lake was highly valued and was even present on the imperial table. That is why the lake was called the “Tsar’s salt shaker”. There is also a legend according to which Peter I called Bursol “the salt shaker of Russia”.
Salt from Lake Burshtyn was highly valued and was present at the royal court. Photo source: dzen.ru
The density of brine, i.e. salt solution, here reaches 22-27 degrees Baume, and the content of sodium chloride, i.e. salt, is 21.8%. By the way, due to the high salt content, the lake does not freeze in winter.
The railway runs along the bottom of Lake Burshtyn, Photo source: www.ixbt.com
It is interesting that salt is mined here by hand. This process has not changed since the times when salt went to the royal table, so it attracts tourists with its “pristine” nature. It should be said that between 1998 and 2010, salt mining was stopped, as the lake became a specially protected natural area. But since 2010, it has resumed and continues to this day. Moreover, the salt reserves at the bottom of the lake are so large that it is considered the largest deposit in Western Siberia. Therefore, they will last for a long time.
A train transports mined salt: dzen.ru
Railway at the bottom of the lake
One of the attractions of Bursoli is also the train running through it. The narrow-gauge railway runs right along the bottom and reaches the middle of the reservoir. Freight cars loaded with salt mined in the most saturated areas travel along it. Since the rails are hidden under water, it seems that the train is traveling on water.
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On the shore of Bursoli, you can often meet tourists watching the extraction of table salt and the train moving along the water surface. But this is not surprising, because you will not find such infrastructure anywhere else in the world!