It is the largest diamond quarry in the Republic of Yakutia, and according to some sources, the entire world, and contains a quarter of the world's diamond reserves. With a diameter of 1200 meters, it goes into the ground for 515 meters, narrowing at the base to 50 meters.

Giant Blue Hole, Belize

This is an underwater vertical cave with a diameter of about 300 meters and a depth of 120 meters. It was once part of a system of limestone caves on the surface of the earth. But as a result of the melting of the ice, the waters of the ocean rose, which led to the flooding of caves and the formation of a karst funnel in the form of a pointed shell.

Bingham Canyon Copper Mine, USA

The copper mine, located in Utah near Salt Lake City, is the largest of its kind on the planet. Copper is mined in it by an open method; the quarry is a giant hole in the earth's crust 1.2 kilometers deep and 4 kilometers wide. The area of ​​the pit on the surface is 7.7 square kilometers, and its size is increasing every year.

Diavik Diamond Mine, Canada

The Diavik Quarry, located in the Canadian province near Yellowknife, is one of the largest open-pit diamond mines in the world. Its depth is 525 meters, and its diameter is about 1200 meters. The mine produces about 20 thousand carats daily, that is, about 4 kilograms, of diamonds.

Dam Monticello, USA

The Monticello Dam in the USA, California is known for its unique spillway. In the middle of Lake Berryessa, a large concrete pipe is installed, into which water flows in case of a change in the surface level of the reservoir. Previously, there was a city of the same name, but during the construction of a dam on the lake, it was flooded and is now at its very bottom.

Big Hole kimberlite pipe, South Africa

This is a huge, now dormant, diamond mine located in the city of Kimberley in South Africa. "Big Hole" is considered the largest mine developed by people "manually", without the use of technology. At the time when the mine was active, its depth was 240 meters. Now it is gradually filling with water. In its place 100 million years ago there was a volcano mouth.

Karst sinkhole in Guatemala

A huge sinkhole of karst origin emerged in Guatemala after tropical storm Agata. The hole completely engulfed the three-story garment factory building. Its dimensions were about 20 meters, and its origin was explained by the process of washing out the soil and bedrock by the waters.

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Our planet is capable of surprising. Undoubtedly, pits and holes on the surface of the earth, whether they are man-made or created by nature, have always been unusual. TravelAsk will tell you about the deepest holes today.

TOP-1: Kimberlite pipe "Mir" in Yakutia

Even just a glimpse of this diamond quarry becomes scary. Imagine how you feel when you stand on the edge of it. It is one of the deepest quarries in the world, with a depth of 525 meters and a diameter of 1.2 kilometers. True, diamond mining was stopped here back in 2001, and now underground mines are being built here, some of them have already been commissioned, since open pit mining is already unprofitable. With the help of such mines, it is planned to develop the remnants of diamond reserves under the quarry.

TOP-2: Kimberlite pipe "Big Hole" in South Africa

This is a huge hand-made diamond quarry. It is considered the largest mine in the world, made without the use of special equipment. It is located in the city of Kimberley in (by the way, it was this city that gave the names to the rest of the kimberlite pipes in the world).

Now the quarry does not work, but for almost 50 years (from 1866 to 1914) about 50 thousand miners managed to work here. They dug this mine with shovels and picks, mining a huge amount of diamonds: 2,722 tons.

The area of ​​the quarry is impressive: 17 hectares. It is 463 meters wide and 240 meters deep. However, the pit was covered with empty rock, thereby reducing the depth to 215 meters. Later, the bottom of the "Big Hole" was filled with water.

Today, the quarry attracts tourists, but for the region it only creates problems: after all, its edges can collapse, and it is dangerous to drive on the roads that are laid nearby. Therefore, it has long been forbidden for freight transport to pass through this territory, and cars are recommended to choose other routes.

By the way, it was here that the largest diamonds were found: De Beers of 428.5 carats, known for its bluish-white color Porter Rhodes of 150 carats, as well as orange-yellow Tiffany of 128.5 carats.

TOP-3: Great Blue Hole in Belize

This is one of the most beautiful places on the planet and the main attraction of Belize. Tourists from all over the world come to see it. Moreover, despite the fact that the Great Blue Hole is located almost 100 kilometers from Belize, diving enthusiasts still come here.

These were once limestone caves that formed during the last ice age. After the rise in the level of the world ocean, the vaults of the cave simply collapsed, and this is how this karst funnel was formed.

The blue hole has an almost perfect circular shape surrounded by white-green rock protruding above it. It goes to a depth of 120 meters and a diameter of 305 meters.

TOP-4: drain in the Monticello dam

This is the largest spillway in the world, look how powerful it is, it feels like nothing will be left of the lake for a few minutes.

This artificial funnel acts as a valve and discharges excess water from the reservoir of the dam.

In fact, it is a giant concrete pipe about 21 meters deep. In its shape, it resembles an inverted cone with a base of 9 meters and a top of 22 meters. The pipe drains water from the other side of the dam for about 200 meters when the reservoir is overflowing with water.

TOP 5: failure in Guatemala

And this failure was formed just in one day. Just imagine, on the night of February 27, 2007, the earth on one of the streets of Guatemala simply collapsed. Several houses went into the pit, people died. The depth of this giant crater was approximately 150 meters and its diameter was 20 meters.

As the results of geologists' studies have shown, the reasons for this failure are underground waters. The downpours that hit the city also contributed to the tragedy. By the way, some time before the failure, people began to feel strange noises and hum coming from the ground. And this simply washed out the soil. Under your feet.

Also, our TOP did not include two huge pits created by man: and. They deserve separate stories.

Holes that periodically open up in different parts of the globe can certainly be attributed to the number of amazing natural phenomena.

1.Kimberlite pipe "Mir" (Mir diamond pipe), Yakutia.

The Mir kimberlite pipe is a quarry located in the city of Mirny, Yakutia. The quarry has a depth of 525 m and a diameter of 1.2 km, and is one of the largest quarries in the world. The mining of diamondiferous kimberlite ore ceased in June 2001. At present, an underground mine of the same name is under construction on board the open pit to develop the remaining underpit reserves, the extraction of which is unprofitable by the open pit.

The world's largest diamond quarry is amazing.

2.Kimberlite pipe "Big hole", South Africa.

The Big Hole is a huge idle diamond mine in the city of Kimberley, South Africa. It is believed that this is the largest career developed by people without the use of technology. It is currently the main attraction of the city of Kimberley.

Between 1866 and 1914, about 50,000 miners dug a mine with picks and shovels, producing 2,722 tons of diamonds (14.5 million carats). During the development of the quarry, 22.5 million tons of soil were extracted. It was here that such famous diamonds as "De Beers" (428.5 carats), bluish-white "Porter Rhodes" (150 carats), orange-yellow "were found. Tiffany "(128.5 carats). At present, this diamond deposit has been exhausted. The area of ​​the "Big Hole" is 17 hectares. Its diameter is 1.6 km. The hole was dug to a depth of 240 meters, but then it was filled with waste rock to a depth of 215 meters, currently the bottom of the hole is filled with water, its depth is 40 meters.

There was a mouth of a volcano on the site of the mine before (about 70 - 130 million years ago). Almost a hundred years ago - in 1914, the development in the "Big Hole" was stopped, but the gaping mouth of the pipe remains to this day and now serves only as a bait for tourists, acting as a museum. And ... starts to create problems. In particular, there was a serious danger of collapse not only of its edges, but also of the roads laid in the immediate vicinity. South African road services have long banned the passage of heavy goods vehicles in these places, and now they strongly recommend all other drivers to avoid driving on Bultfontein Road. in the Big Hole area. The authorities are going to completely block the dangerous section of the road. And the largest diamond company in the world, De Beers, which owned this mine since 1888, found nothing better than to get rid of it by putting it up for sale.

3. Quarry Kennecott Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah.

Largest operating quarry in the world - Copper mining began in 1863 and is still ongoing. About a kilometer deep and three and a half kilometers wide.

It is the world's largest man-made formation (excavated by a man). It is an open pit mine.

Measures as of 2008: 0.75 mile (1.2 km) deep, 2.5 miles (4 km) wide and covers an area of ​​1,900 acres (7.7 sq km).

The ore was first discovered in 1850, and from 1863 the development of a quarry began, which continues to this day.

Currently, the quarry employs 1,400 people, who daily extract 450,000 tons (408 thousand tons) of rock. The ore is loaded into 64 large dump trucks that are capable of transporting 231 tons of ore each, these trucks cost about US $ 3 million each.

4. Quarry "Diavik", Canada. Diamonds are mined.

The Canadian quarry "Diavik" is perhaps one of the youngest (in terms of development) diamond kimberlite pipes. It was first explored only in 1992, the infrastructure was created by 2001, and diamond mining began in January 2003. Presumably, the mine will last from 16 to 22 years.
The place of its exit to the surface of the earth is unique in itself. Firstly, it is not one, but three pipes at once, formed on the island of Las de Gras, about 220 km south of the Arctic Circle, off the coast of Canada. Since the hole is huge, and the island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is small, only 20 km²

and for a short time, the Diavik diamond mine became one of the most important components of the Canadian economy. This deposit produces up to 8 million carats (1600 kg) of diamonds per year. An airfield has been built on one of the neighboring islands, capable of receiving even huge Boeings. In June 2007, a consortium of seven mining companies announced their intention to sponsor environmental studies and begin construction on the northern coast of Canada to receive cargo ships up to 25,000 tonnes, as well as a 211 km access road that will connect the port to the consortium's factories. ... This means that the hole in the ocean will grow and deepen.

5. Great Blue Hole, Belize.

The world-famous Great Blue Hole is the main attraction of the picturesque, ecologically clean Belize (formerly British Honduras), a state in Central America, on the Yucatan Peninsula. No, this time it's not a kimberlite pipe. It is not diamonds that are “mined” from it, but tourists - diving enthusiasts from all over the world, thanks to which it feeds the country no worse than a diamond pipe. Probably, it would be better to call it not “Blue Hole”, but “Blue Dream”, since this can only be seen in dreams or in a dream. It is a true masterpiece, a miracle of nature - a perfectly round, twilight spot in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, surrounded by a lace bib at Lighthouse Reef.

View from space!

Width 400 meters, depth 145 - 160 meters.

As if floating over the abyss ...

6. Opening of the drain in the reservoir of the Monticello dam.

A large man-made hole is located in Northern California, USA. But this is not just a pit. The drain hole in the reservoir of the Monticello dam is the largest spillway in the world! It was built about 55 years ago. This funnel exit is simply irreplaceable here. It allows you to quickly dump excess water from the tank when its level exceeds the permissible norm. A kind of safety valve.

Visually, the funnel looks like a giant concrete pipe. It is capable of passing through itself as much as 1370 cubic meters per second. m of water! The depth of such a hole is about 21 m. From top to bottom it has the shape of a cone, the diameter of which at the top reaches almost 22 m, and downward narrows to 9 m and comes out from the other side of the dam, removing excess water when the reservoir is overflowed. The distance from the pipe to the exit point, which is slightly to the south, is approximately 700 feet (about 200 m).

7. Karst sinkhole in Guatemala.

A giant funnel 150 meters deep and 20 meters in diameter. Caused by groundwater and rainfall. During the formation of the failure, several people died and a dozen houses were destroyed. According to local residents, since about the beginning of February, in the area of ​​the future tragedy, the soil was moving, and a muffled rumble was heard from under the ground.

These are the holes!

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Kimberlite pipe "Mir" (Mir diamond pipe), Russia, Yakutia. The outer diameter is 1200 meters and the depth is 525 meters. Development chronology: 06/13/1955 - the Mir kimberlite diamond pipe was discovered, - the geologists of the Amakinsky expedition Yu.I. Khabardin, E.N. Elagin and V.P. Avdeenko. 06. 1956 - the USSR MCM made a decision to start commercial operation of the Mir pipe. April 30, 2004 - the last ton of ore was mined. The Big Hole kimberlite pipe, South Africa. The largest of those dug by "hands" is 1097 meters deep. More than 22 million tons of rock were moved to the surface and 3 tons of diamonds were mined. The development was completed in 1914. Between 1866 and 1914, about 50,000 miners dug a mine with picks and shovels, producing 2,722 tons of diamonds (14.5 million carats). During the development of the quarry, 22.5 million tons of soil were extracted. It was here that such famous diamonds as "De Beers" (428.5 carats), bluish-white "Porter Rhodes" (150 carats), orange-yellow "Tiffany" (128.5 carats) were found. Currently, this diamond deposit has been depleted. The "Big Hole" area is 17 hectares. Its diameter is 1.6 km. The hole was dug to a depth of 240 meters, but then it was filled with waste rock to a depth of 215 meters, currently the bottom of the hole is filled with water, its depth is 40 meters. At the site of the mine earlier (about 70 - 130 million years ago) there was a volcano mouth. Kennecott Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah. Largest operating quarry in the world - Copper mining began in 1863 and is still ongoing. About a kilometer deep and three and a half kilometers wide Diavik quarry surrounded by waters, Canada. Diamonds are mined here. The quarry is located on the islands and has its own infrastructure with an airport capable of receiving passenger Boeings. Great Blue Hole, Belize. The width is 400 meters, the depth is about 145 - 160 meters. A favorite destination for professional divers from all over the world. The details of the origin of this hole are not fully understood. A drain hole in the reservoir of Monticello Dam's, in northern California. This pipe is capable of passing 1370 cubic meters of water per second. Depth 21 meters. It has the shape of a cone, the diameter of which is 21.6 meters at the top, and tapers down to 8 , 4 meters Serves to discharge excess water in the reservoir reservoir.
Karst sinkhole in Guatemala. A giant funnel 150 meters deep and 20 meters in diameter. Caused by groundwater and rainfall. During the formation of the failure, several people died and a dozen houses were destroyed. According to local residents, from about the beginning of February, in the area of ​​the future tragedy, the soil was moving, and a muffled rumble was heard from under the ground.

Our world is filled with magnificent sights. Some of the planet's spectacular wonders are human-made, but most are related to nature. These include the mysterious holes on Earth.

Mysterious Hole Deluxe

Its origin is still a mystery. Nobody can explain how it was formed. And even with the most innovative methods it is impossible to measure its depth!

Glory hole

Located on the beautiful Monticello Dam. The Glory Hole seems to be a tunnel into the very depths of the planet! However, it is designed to drain water.

Funnel Soumill

Located in the Bahamas, and in fact is a place of archaeological research. This place helped scientists understand what the Earth looked like thousands of years ago.

Devil's funnel

Judging by the appearance, this place can hardly be called the Devil's Funnel. But this is a forbidden area, as it is very dangerous. In the summer, you can see millions of bats fly out of the abyss.

Big blue hole

She can be seen in the Caribbean. During the last ice age, a system of caves formed here. The hole is considered one of the best diving spots in the world.

Dean's Blue Hole

If you go to the Bahamas, be sure to visit Dean's Blue Hole. Considered the deepest blue hole on the planet, it is ideal for diving enthusiasts.

Harwood hole

Interestingly, this is more of a cave than a hole. This deepest vertical cave is located in New Zealand.

Diamond mine "Mirnaya"

Gigantic in size (525 meters deep and 1200 meters wide), the open diamond mine is considered the second largest excavated hole in the world.

Kimberlite pipe "Udachnaya"

In addition to the Mirny mine, diamonds are also mined in the Udachnaya pipe, which is located 20 km from the Arctic Circle.

Heavenly Hole (Tianken Xiaozhai)

Believe it or not, it was formed over 120,000 years ago. Today the hole has become an ideal spot for skydiving enthusiasts.

Bingham Canyon

To the west of Salt Lake City is one of the largest quarries in the world where copper ore is mined.

Hole in Guatemala

In 2010, a hole 20 meters deep was formed in the capital of Guatemala. She not only destroyed the road, but also swallowed up a three-story factory. There were many versions of the formation of a funnel. The main ones are considered the eruption of the Pacaya volcano, a tropical storm and water leakage from nearby sewer pipes.

Based on materials: elitereaders.com

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