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August 7, 2026 - Bolivia's Salt Pans
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The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of Bolivia's massive salt pans on August 5, 2026.
The Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world, spreading over roughly 10,000 square kilometers (4,000 square miles) of the high desert plateau of the Bolivia. Just to the north and slightly west, the Salar de Coipasa adds to the bright mineral crust of the region. Lake Poopó, a salt-encrusted ephemeral lake, can be seen in the northeast.
These salt flats were formed thousands of years ago—between 10,000 and 30,000 years—when a massive prehistoric lake slowly dried up. Eventually only a thick crust of minerals remained. The primary mineral in the salt pans is, quite appropriately, sodium chloride (salt), but other minerals are also found. For example, the Salar de Uyuni is exceptionally rich in lithium, a valuable mineral used in batteries and psychiatric medication.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 8/5/2026
Resolutions:
1km (27 KB), 500m (97.3 KB), 250m (337.4 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of Bolivia's massive salt pans on August 5, 2026.
The Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world, spreading over roughly 10,000 square kilometers (4,000 square miles) of the high desert plateau of the Bolivia. Just to the north and slightly west, the Salar de Coipasa adds to the bright mineral crust of the region. Lake Poopó, a salt-encrusted ephemeral lake, can be seen in the northeast.
These salt flats were formed thousands of years ago—between 10,000 and 30,000 years—when a massive prehistoric lake slowly dried up. Eventually only a thick crust of minerals remained. The primary mineral in the salt pans is, quite appropriately, sodium chloride (salt), but other minerals are also found. For example, the Salar de Uyuni is exceptionally rich in lithium, a valuable mineral used in batteries and psychiatric medication.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 8/5/2026
Resolutions:
1km (27 KB), 500m (97.3 KB), 250m (337.4 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
