The astronauts, who were the first to see the Earth from space, enthusiastically respond to the unique colours and patterns that dot the planet: green valleys, flower plantations, golden deserts, and mountain ranges, as well as deep canyons. For millions of years, nature has created and changed landscapes that people in all corners of the world admire.
But for some time now, man has begun to interfere in this creative process. Sometimes well-designed projects by scientists give life to drylands, and agricultural activity develops in just a few years. But also, without stopping, there is an extraction of ores and precious metals, as a result of which many "unplanned" holes have formed on Earth. We suggest you take a small virtual trip to these places — 10 Man-Made Black Holes on Earth.
01. Ekati Diamond Mine, Canada
Ekati Diamond Mine Canada’s first surface and underground diamond mine, the Ekati Diamond Mine, has a historic legacy. Ekati, in the remote sub-Arctic tundra of the Lac de Gras region, Northwest Territories, some 300 km northeast of Yellowknife, launched the Canadian diamond industry on its own. The mine was officially closed in mid-August 2026, with production of more than 95 to 100 million carats of world-renowned gem-quality diamonds over a period of nearly three decades. Its owner, Burgundy Diamond Mines, collapsed into receivership under severe economic strain from crashing rough diamond prices and cutthroat competition from lab-grown diamonds, and the massive site entered a government-run environmental wind-down and reclamation phase.
02. The Diavik Diamond Mine | Northwest Territories, Canada
Diavik Diamond Mine is a world-class diamond mine located on an island in Lac de Gras, Northwest Territories, Canada, approximately 300 km northeast of Yellowknife. The mine was touted as a massive Canadian engineering feat and over its life produced over 140 to 150 million carats of high-quality white and rare yellow diamonds. After more than 20 years of commercial operations, its parent company Rio Tinto officially ended final production on March 24, 2026, and started a multi-year decommissioning and environmental reclamation phase.
03. The Big Hole, South Africa
Kimberley, South Africa, is home to the Big Hole, a giant monument to the diamond rush of the nineteenth century, and one of the biggest hand-dug excavations on the planet. This huge crater was dug out of the earth by as many as fifty thousand miners between 1871 and 1914 with simple picks and shovels and brute force. The punishing operation churned out a staggering 13.6 million carats of diamonds, shaping the worldwide gem market and propelling the rise of mining powerhouse De Beers. Today, the seventeen-hectare open pit serves as a world-famous tourist museum, partially filled with striking turquoise groundwater.
04. Kalguri Super Pit, Australia
The Fimiston Open Pit, colloquially known as the Super Pit, Australia's largest open pit, opened in 1989. Over the years, the largest gold quarry has grown to 3.5 km in length. The distance from the sides of the quarry to the bottom is 360 m.
05. Grasberg, Indonesia
The Grasberg Mine is the largest gold mine and the second-largest copper mine in the world. The highest quarry in the world, Grasberg is located at an altitude of 4,285 m above sea level. Development began in 1973 in Indonesia. At the moment, its depth is 480 m.
06. Mir mine, Russia
Mine: The diamond field was discovered in 1955; until 2001, the development was conducted openly. In 2009, mining began in an underground mine. The quarry has a depth of 525 m, and its diameter is 1.2 km.
07. Udachnaya pipe, Russia
Udachnaya pipe, Russia, a diamond quarry in the north of Yakutia, is located 20 km from the Arctic Circle. Since 1982, it has been developed openly, and since 2014, work has been going on in an underground mine. Quarry depth – 585 m.
08. Escondida, Chile
Escondida is a copper mine; the open-pit mine is located in the north of the Atacama Desert. Work in it began in 1990. The mine has two quarries. The depth of the deepest of them is 650 m.
09. Bingham Canyon, USA
Bingham Canyon, USA: Copper ore was found here in 1850, and 13 years later, development began. As of 2008, the depth of the quarry reached 1.2 km, a width of 4 km, and an area of 1,900 acres. About 450 thousand tons of rock are extracted daily from the quarry.
10. Chuquicamata / Chukikamata, Chile
Chuquicamata / Chukikamata, Chile: This is the largest open-pit mine in the world where copper ore is mined. The field has been developed since 1915. The quarry is located in the central Andes at an altitude of 2840 m. The depth of the quarry is 850 m.
No comments:
Post a Comment