One of the man-made wonders of Russia is the world's largest diamond quarry, the Mir kimberlite pipe. This amazing artificial crater is located in Yakutia, in the kingdom of permafrost.
A giant crater 1.2 km in diameter and 525 m deep is dangerous for helicopters: it forms downward air currents and can suck in an aircraft. Therefore, they are prohibited from approaching a career.
This huge "hole in the ground" is lined with a spiral road for trucks. To just go down to the bottom of the pit, they need to drive about 8 km along this technological route.
The name "kimberlite pipe" comes from the city of Kimberley in South Africa, where diamond deposits began to be developed in the 19th century. These tubes were formed during volcanic eruptions, when gases burst out through the earth's crust from deep bowels. The shape of the tube is like a funnel or a glass. A volcanic explosion is carried out from the bowels of kimberlite - a rock that most often contains diamonds.
About the history of the Mir quarry
Since 1948, geological expeditions have been looking for a kimberlite pipe of industrial importance in the harsh expanses of Yakutia. Luck smiled at the geologists in June 1955, in a remote taiga, on the bank of a meandering tributary of the Vilyui River.
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On the slope grew tall larch, the roots of which were exposed by a landslide. A fox dug a deep hole under them. From her excavation work, a bluish earth and red pyrope, a mineral satellite of diamonds, were scattered around.
The search area was far from residential areas, but a couple of years later, the city of Mirny, the “diamond capital” of our country, arose and began to develop there. The development of the deposit showed its enormous value: more than 80 percent of the diamonds mined in this quarry weighed 5 or more carats (1 gram and more).
By 1960, the production of diamonds was 2 kg per year, and 1/5 of them were of gem quality. The rest have found their application for industrial purposes. The largest diamond in the history of the USSR was found here in 1980. Its mass is more than 68 grams, and it is one of the largest and most famous gems on our planet. Its cost exceeds $ 7 million at current prices. All in all, from 1957 to 2001, diamonds worth 17 billion dollars were recovered from a giant artificial crater.
Transition to closed mining and conservation
In 2001, it was decided to complete open-pit development of the field and move to closed development. Deepening the quarry further and continuing open pit mining was recognized as too expensive, dangerous and ineffective.
Mines stretched from the bottom of the quarry deep into the earth. In 2009, in the presence of Putin, from these mines solemnly went to the surface of the carts with diamond-bearing ores. The underground part of the Mir open-pit mine began to provide more than 10% of all diamond production in Russia.
The point in its history was set in August 2017. There was a major breakthrough, and underground ice waters flooded the mine. One of the miners spent 30 hours in tunnels destroyed by the underground elements, until rescuers reached him. And 8 people were never found.
The city of Mirny, located at the foot of a giant funnel, continues to be the "diamond capital" and the headquarters of the Alrosa company. Another kimberlite pipe, Udachnaya, is being developed in Yakutia.
Eco-city instead of a pit
The futuristic idea of constructing a completely autonomous eco-city of the future in the cavity of the old diamond pit "Mir" was proposed by specialists from the Moscow architectural bureau "Alice".
The foundation of this city is in a huge concrete structure. It is like a "plug" for a quarry, bursting it from the inside. From above, the pit can be covered with a transparent dome with solar panels. The Yakut climate is harsh, but there are many clear days. It is enough for the batteries to generate electricity for the needs of the entire city.
On the lower tier, you can place areas for growing agricultural products; on the middle - a forest-park zone; for air purification, on the upper - the living area. Such an eco-city can accommodate 10 thousand inhabitants!