Editing Turpan Depression (section)

==Geology and relief==
The Turpan Basin is a fault-bounded trough located in the eastern part of the [[Tian Shan]]. It covers an area of {{convert|50000|km2}}. The surrounding mountain ranges are: the central Tian Shan in the west, the [[Bogda Shan]] in the north-west, the Haerlike Shan in the north-west, and the Jueluotage Shan in the south. Beyond the surrounding mountain ranges lie the [[Dzungaria|Junggar Basin]] in the north and the [[Tarim Basin]] in the south.

Some geographers also use the term Turpan-Hami Basin, which is understood as including the Turpan Depression along with the [[Hami Depression]] (located to the east of the Turpan Depression, and to the southwest of the city of [[Hami City|Hami]]) and the Liaodong Uplift separating the two depressions. A source using this terminology gave the area of the Turpan Depression proper as {{convert|28600|km2|abbr=on}}, that of the Hami Depression as {{convert|19300|km2|abbr=on}}, and for the entire Turpan-Hami Basin, as {{convert|48000|km2|abbr=on}}.<ref name=uranium>{{citation
|first=Franz J.|last=Dahlkamp |isbn=978-3-540-78557-6 |title=Uranium Deposits of the World: Asia |publisher= Springer
|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ShzwRGs5mDYC&pg=PA40 |pages=40–41 |date=2009-09-16 }}</ref>

[[Image:Turpan-flaming-mountains-camellos-d01.jpg|thumb|250px|Basin scene near [[Flaming Mountains]]]]

The Turpan Basin formed in a [[shear zone]] during the [[Lopingian|Late Permian]] due to motion between the [[East European craton|East European]] and the [[Angaran craton]]. It was subsequently deformed by the collision of the [[Indian Plate]] and [[Eurasian Plate]] in the [[Cenozoic]]. In the latter deformation, a thrust fault belt running from east to west, the [[Flaming Mountains]], was formed in the center of the basin. The Flaming Mountains are {{convert|98|km|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|9|km|abbr=on}} wide; the highest peak reaches an elevation of {{convert|831.7|m|abbr=on}} above sea level. The Turfan volcano is located near Turpan.

Also in the center of the basin lies the [[Ayding Lake]] (Moonlight Lake) which has an elevation of {{convert|154.5|m|abbr=on}} below sea level, the [[List of elevation extremes by country|sixth lowest exposed elevation on the Earth's land surface]]. It is the lowest surface point in China.

The Shihongtan [[uranium]] ore deposit is located at the southwestern margin of the Turpan Depression, some {{convert|35|km|abbr=on}} south-southwest from Turpan City.<ref name=uranium/>