Abstract: Chihuaha, Mexico – Home of Small Dogs and Giant Crystals

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Abstract: Chihuaha, Mexico – Home of Small Dogs and Giant Crystals

CRYSTAL WONDERS I Chihuaha, Mexico - Home Of Small Dogs And Giant Crystals he Naica Mine in Chihuahu a, Mexico, was found. The tunnel was rerouted, but soon Tis home to the Cave of Swords, an after a second, even bigger chamber with extraordinary collection of large severa l 8 m long and 2 m in diameter big se lenite (gypsum) crystals in a huge chamber selenite crysta ls was found. It was closed by about 70 m in d iameter and 120m below a brick wall and an iron gate to protect the the surface. crystals. The mine produces lead, zinc, copper, silver For more information about the caves log onto and gold and is o ne of the most productive http :1/g i a ntc rysta ls.stra hI en .orgla meri ca/n a ca.i mines in Chihuahua. In recent years the care htm of the environment by the present mining company has given the mine a national level Text source : www.showcaves.com Photos of prominence. forwarded by PESA member Aaron Burt. • The Cave of Swords. found'' in 1910. is named after the crystals. which resemble swords.,' Fortunately this attitude amongst the miners also protected the Cave of Swords for nea rly a century. It is very hot in the mine w hich and has a huge underground well of 52°C hot water. The air of the mine is cooled down by a ventilation system to about 40°C, but the humidity is about 100% . The Cave of Swords, found in 1910, is named after the crysta ls, w hich resemble swords. It is famous among geoscientists and cavern is equipped w ith paths, light and ventilation. The newest discovery is the Cave of the Crystals, even more spectacular than the Cave of Swords. At a depth of 300 m first a spherical chamber of 8 m diameters fil led w ith se len ite crystals PESA News No. 87 (2007) Copyright © 2017 by Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia (PESA) April/May 2007 PESA news .

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Cave of the Crystals grade 5 Revise / Sketch NEW ARIZONA MEXICO magine yourself one thousand feet underground, drilling a new tunnel in an old zinc and lead mine. I TEXAS Suddenly your drill bursts through the MEXICO rock wall. What you see takes your CHIHUAHUA breath away. Huge crystals fill a cave SONORA from end to end, floor to ceiling. They Chihuahua shimmer like moonlight. But before you can explore the cave, you are Naica Mine hit with air as hot as a blast from a furnace. Two mineworkers, Juan and Pedro Sanchez, discovered this amazing “Cave of the Crystals” in 2000 at the Naica Mine in the state of Chihuahua, The Cave of the Crystals is located in Mexico. They didn’t stay long, for the intenseSue heat Carlson 609 971 6828 the desert of northern drove them away. Mexico. The mine owners put an iron door at the mouth of the cave. Scientists came to study the cave, but because of the heat, they could stay inside for only a few minutes at a time. 28 5_RNLESE865836_U6SA27.indd 28 5/10/2012 6:28:25 AM Inside Mexico’s Cave of the Crystals Cave of the Crystals grade 5 Revise / Sketch Scientists found the crystals were made of selenite gypsum, a translucent, light-colored mineral. The cave had just the NEW right combination of minerals, water, and ARIZONA MEXICO temperature to grow the crystals. The cave had once been filled with water, and heat from the earth’s core kept the water at TEXAS MEXICO about 136 degrees Fahrenheit.
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