[4] Salar de Gorbea features both salty sediments, a salt crust and water-filled ponds.

[16] The bacterial population of the salar has been investigated to determine their taxonomy,[17] research has yielded new species and genera.

[19] The salt flat is nourished by a small watershed with an area of 336 square kilometres (130 sq mi).

[20] The rocks in the basin are entirely volcanic, mostly of Pleistocene age,[2] many volcanoes are eroded[21] and there is no evidence of recent activity[3] except for a steam eruption at Cerro Bayo in 2007.

[5] During the late Pleistocene, the climate of the Altiplano was wetter[8] but there is no evidence of former shorelines although the gypsum crust was partially eroded during Holocene wet periods.

[22] Strong winds blow in the area, forming large dust devils on the salar[23] that can reportedly transport gravel.