Two sediment cores (length 13.94 and 12.93 m) have been drilled from the small alpine Lake Luanhaizi in the eastern central Qilian Mountains and correlated by means of magnetic susceptibility (MS). This paper focuses on the lithology and chronology of the longer core, on the results of loss on ignition (LOI), element concentration, thermomagnetic as well as magnetic hysteresis loop measurements, and on the ostracod record. The recovered sediments represent three types of depositional environment: a shallow intermittent lake, a deeper permanent lake and a true playa lake. Three stages of a higher lake level and permanence of the water body are reconstructed. The lowermost stage of a permanent lake and inferred favourable environmental conditions occurred probably about 45 14C ka BP. The second stage of a deeper permanent lake occurred either shortly before or, more likely, following the LGM. Most favourable environmental conditions and highest water levels were reconstructed for the uppermost stage comprising the Holocene. Considering the lake record, glaciers have not reached the lake site at 3200 m altitude during the LGM, providing further evidence against a large ice sheet on the Tibetan Plateau. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.