Moiynkum Desert

The Moiynkum Desert (Мойынқұм, Moiynqūm), is a desert in the Turkistan and Zhambyl regions of southern Kazakhstan.

Common plant types in the desert include saksaul, milkvetch, mugwort and sedge. The Andasay State Nature Reserve is a 1000000 ha protected area that was established in 1966.

Geography
The Moiynkum Desert is limited by the Chu River to the north and east and the Karatau and Kyrgyz Ala-Too to the south and southeast. Its elevation ranges from 300 m in the northern sector to 700 m in the southeast. River Chu flows at the northern edge of the desert, with lakes Kokuydynkol and Zhalanash close to the left side of its channel. In wet years it may reach the drainless salt lake Akzhaykyn in the Ashchykol Depression, at the western end of the desert. The Akzhar lake group is located in the southern area.

Climate
The climate of the desert is continental. Temperatures drop to as low as -40 °C in January and rise to around 50 °C in July.

Mining
The desert is known to harbor deposits of uranium, with the South Inkai mine of Uranium One and the Inkai Uranium Project of Cameco. The uranium mines at Tortkuduk and Moiynkum are operated by the Franco-Kazakh firm KATCO.