# What is this facility in China? (from google maps) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 13, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-facility-in-china-from-google-maps/693003 "2014-07-13T17:42:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-facility-in-china-from-google-maps/693003/1 "2014-07-13T17:42:00Z")
While planning my conquest of Asia…I mean browsing the web I came across this facility on google maps and was wondering what exactly it is, it seems to be irrigation of some kind but its frikken huge, practically visible from orbit. Its at: 40.439016, 90.804333 or 40°26’20.5"N 90°48’15.6"E And is labelled as Luobubozhen, any google links come up in Chinese (surprisingly enough) which doesn’t really tell me much. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-facility-in-china-from-google-maps/693003/2 "2014-07-13T18:00:36Z")
It’s the Potash factory (Potassium chloride processing) at Lop Nur, > **[Lop Nur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lop_Nur)** > > Lop Nur or Lop Nor (from a Mongolian name meaning "Lop Lake", where "Lop" is a toponym of unknown origin) is a former salt lake, now largely dried up, located in the eastern fringe of the Tarim Basin, between the Taklamakan and Kumtag deserts in the southeastern portion of the Xinjiang (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region). Administratively, the lake is in Lop Nur town (Chinese: 罗布泊镇; pinyin: Luóbùpō zhèn), also known as Luozhong (罗中; Luózhōng) of Ruoqiang County, which in its turn is part of the... [![](http://1844.img.pp.sohu.com.cn/images/2008/11/21/6/25/11e645e29c5g213.jpg) ](http://1844.img.pp.sohu.com.cn/images/2008/11/21/6/25/11e645e29c5g213.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-facility-in-china-from-google-maps/693003/3 "2014-07-13T19:52:21Z")
Ah hah, thank you! ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-facility-in-china-from-google-maps/693003/4 "2014-07-13T20:19:33Z")
[Here’s a clickable link](http://goo.gl/maps/0Kes8) to Google Maps’ satellite imagery of the site in question, for anyone who was curious. ---
**Author:** ![Tinhed1155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Tinhed1155](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinhed1155)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2014, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-facility-in-china-from-google-maps/693003/5 "2014-11-16T18:39:34Z")
Hero, This appears to be a nuclear power plant. Scroll in to enlarge and see the cooling towers. Compare to the “Rancho Seco” nuclear power plant just outside of Sacramento California,(Google Earth- N.38_20’31.00"-W.121_07’18.80"). What I would like to know? What are the images on the ground in China just to the south east of Luobubozhen? (Google Earth- [image#1] N.40_27’27.36"-E.93_23’36.83" [image#2] N.40_28’33.37"-E.93_30’48.27" [image#3] N.40_27’11.78" E.93_44’36.18"… You don’t have to be too accurate with these numbers. They’re BIG!!! They seem to be Spy Satellite targets, but who knows? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2014, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-facility-in-china-from-google-maps/693003/6 "2014-11-16T18:56:21Z")
> [@Tinhed1155](#): > > Hero, This appears to be a nuclear power plant. Scroll in to enlarge and see the cooling towers. Compare to the “Rancho Seco” nuclear power plant just outside of Sacramento California,(Google Earth- N.38_20’31.00"-W.121_07’18.80"). > What I would like to know? What are the images on the ground in China just to the south east of Luobubozhen? (Google Earth- [image#1] N.40_27’27.36"-E.93_23’36.83" [image#2] N.40_28’33.37"-E.93_30’48.27" [image#3] N.40_27’11.78" E.93_44’36.18"… You don’t have to be too accurate with these numbers. They’re BIG!!! They seem to be Spy Satellite targets, but who knows? The answer has already been given above. Lots of industrial plants have cooling towers. ---
**Author:** ![MotherToad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f17d59/32.png) [@MotherToad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MotherToad)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-facility-in-china-from-google-maps/693003/7 "2015-07-06T18:10:47Z")
Hero, et al. You may find this a bit off topic, but since the original intent was conquering China, I think it’s spot on. The Luobubozhen “facility” is indeed HUGE! :eek: To me it represents all that is left of Lop Nur, or Lop LAKE! This makes it a great spot for a layover on your conquest. It was a popular oasis on the Central route of the Silk Road into China. In this area are not just “facilities” but a vast archeological dig for the ancient city of Loulan. I have in front of me a map (written in Chinese, unfortunately) which shows the Great Wall of China ended here. I was using the info on this map to locate whatever was West of Dunhuang, and SE of Turpan that might be an oasis. Like you, I found Luobobuzhen, and had to continue my research to prove that this was indeed Lop Lake. Due East of Luobubozhen are the remains of the Great Wall, including the lesser known sites of Hecang Fortress, Houkeng and Maquan Bay. Many tourist articles state the Great Wall ends at the Jade Gate, or Yumenguan, but there are many sites like Handai and those listed above that show the wall continued West. If you decide to invade, you should follow the central route from Luobubozhen due East to Dunhuang. No one will suspect that. 🆒