A salinity gradient solar pond (SGSP) is a simple and effective way of capturing and storing solar energy. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has very good solar energy resources and very rich salt lake brine resources. It lacks energy for its mineral processes and is therefore an ideal location for the development and operation of solar ponds. In China, solar ponds have been widely applied for aquaculture, in the production of Glauber's salt and in the production of lithium carbonate from salt lake. As part of an experimental study, a SGSP using the natural brine of Zabuye salt lake in the Tibet plateau has been constructed. The pond has an area of 2500 m(2) and is 1.9 m deep. The solar pond started operation in spring when the ambient temperature was very low and has operated steadily for 105 days, with the LCZ temperature varying between 20 and 40 degrees C. During the experimental study, the lower convective zone (LCZ) of the pond reached a maximum temperature of 39.1 degrees C. The results show that solar ponds can be operated successfully at the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and can be applied to the production of minerals. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.