Mineral magnetic properties (SIRM, ARM, HIRM and S-ratios) are presented for two AMS 14C-dated pit-sequences of lake sediments recovered from Haoluku and Liuzhouwan (∼43°N, 117°E). The two sites fall in the semi-humid to semi-arid climate transition zone, Dali Nor area of the southeast Inner Mongolia Plateau, China. Complemented by data for loss-on-ignition (LOI), total organic carbon (TOC), carbon/nitrogen (C/N), grain-size, and pollen, these mineral-magnetic measurements provide additional insights into environmental changes occurring at this area over the last 13 500 years. Conditions were extremely dry and windy as shown by the low SIRM, ARM and HIRM and high S-ratios before 13 500yrbp. The environment began to ameliorate gradually since then, and a further humidification occurred at ∼10 300yrbp in Haoluku, the northern site, and at ∼9400yrbp in Liuzhouwan, the southern one, as implied by the increased but only moderately high SIRM, ARM and HIRM and decreased S-ratios. As indicated by the remarkably increased SIRM, ARM, HIRM and S-ratios, a deterioration commenced at ∼5600yrbp in Haoluku and at ∼4700yrbp in Liuzhouwan. In Haoluku, conditions have been generally dry and windy since ∼5600yrbp despite a minor amelioration at 4500–3000yrbp. A short but marked amelioration occurred at 1200–700yrbp in Liuzhouwan. S-ratios seem to be a reliable indicator of environmental aridity for this area.