Ethiopia, Danakil Depression, Crystal Salt Flower in the Center of the Gaet'ale Pond

Gaet'ale Pond is a small hypersaline lake located in the Danakil Depression. It is placed over a hot spring of tectonic origin and has no apparent inlet or outlet streams. The salts in the water of Gaet'ale Pond are mainly composed by calcium chloride (CaCl2) and magnesium chloride (MgCl2). It also contains traces of Fe3+ that form a complex with Cl−, giving the water a characteristic yellow color.
Bubbles of odourless gas are emitted from the lake surface. It is likely volcanically produced CO2. Bird and insect corpses have been found around the pond, and it has been proposed that the gas may be harmful for small animals or humans.