Institute of Geology and Geophysics, National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Baku, Azerbaijan:

V. A. Mamedov, Head of department, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, vmamed@rambler.ru

Institute of Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Baku, Azerbaijan:

Kh. Kh. Khalilova, Leading Researcher, Candidate of Chemical Sciences

History of salt deposits and salt production from salt lakes in the Azerbaijan Republic from the ancient time to this day is described. The general geological and geochemical characteristics of the salt deposits are presented. Various approaches to salt genesis in the Nakhchivan salt deposits are analyzed. Dynamics of salt production from the deposits of Duzdag, Negram and Shakarabad–Goshadize in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and from salt lakes on one of the world’s oldest oil sites—Absheron Peninsula—is discussed. The production figures are given for both Nakhchivan rock salt and Absheron gravity-sediment salt. Technogenesis greatly contributed to the change of the natural properties of brines in the gravitysediment lakes in the Absheron region. Over-years expansion of the oil and other industries fiercely reduced mineralization of the lakes, which gradually scaled down salt production. In the conditions of long-term hydrocarbon mining, many lakes, in particular, the Beyukshor Lake which was the major source for production of common salt in Azerbaijan, became useless. Today, out of numerous selfsediment basins of Absheron, the salt production sources are the lake Masazyr and the easterly located small lake Mirzaladi, which maintain and supply performance of Azerduz Company.

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