Overall salt content is . The original discoverers of Licancabur Lake considered it to have a low salt content, given that typical salt deposits were missing. The high quantities of Al, Ca, Fe, Mg and Na in the waters of the lake compared to the quantities in springs at the foot of Licancabur may be due to prolonged water-rock interactions. Nitrite, nitrate and phosphate concentrations are small. Chloride and sulfate indicate the input of geothermal liquids into the lake, and degassing was observed in 2006, linked with higher water temperatures in the area of the degassing in the northeastern part of the lake. pH values of 8-4-6.9 were measured during 2002-2006.