The salts of Wadi El Natrun saline lakes are made up of sodium chloride (NaCl, halite), sodium sulfate (Na2SO4, thenardite) and sodium
carbonate (Na2CO3.10H2O, natron) deposited on the bottom of the Lakes and surrounding sabkhas. The lakes of El Raizonia, Umm Risha,
El Fasda, El Beida and El Gaar are the most potential lakes for economic halite salts. Furthermore, El Beida Lake contains Na2SO4 salts,
mixed with halite, and Umm Risha and El Fasda lakes are characterized by natron salt showings. The chemical analysis of the saline water
revealed dominant Cl-, Na+, Ca2+, CO32-, and HCO3- as major ions; while Mg2+, SO42- and NO3- are defined as minor ions. Chemical
analysis of the salt deposits of these lakes shows similarity in the mineral composition with that of the saline water indicating that the water
of such lakes is the main source of the realized salt minerals.
Key words: Remote sensing, salt lakes, Wadi El Natrun.
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