Cave of Crystals "Giant Crystal Cave" at Naica, Mexico
Discovered by chance, the secret Mexican crystal caves big enough to drive a car through
The Naica Mine of state Chihuahua , is a working mine that is best known for its extraordinary selenite crystals. Located in Naica in municipality of Saucillo, the Naca mine is a lead, zinc and silver mine operated by industries penoles, Mexico's largest lead producer. Caverns discovered during mining operations contain crystals of seleminiteas large as four feet in diameter and 50feet long.
Formation of Crystals:
Naica lies on an ancient fault, there is magma chamber below the cave. The magma heated the ground water and it became saturated with minerals , including large quantities of gypsum. The hollow space of the cave was filled with this minerals-rich hot water and remained filled for 500,000 years. During this time the temperature of the water remained very stable at over 52 oC. This allowed crystals to grow to immense sizes.
How did the crystals reach such superheroic proportions:
In the new issue of journal geology, Gracia Ruiz reports that that for millinniea the crystals thrived
in the cave's extremely rare and natural environment. Temperatures hovered consistently around a steamy 136 F and the cave was filled with mineral-rich hot water that drove the crystal's growth.
Photos:
Discovered by chance, the secret Mexican crystal caves big enough to drive a car through
The Naica Mine of state Chihuahua , is a working mine that is best known for its extraordinary selenite crystals. Located in Naica in municipality of Saucillo, the Naca mine is a lead, zinc and silver mine operated by industries penoles, Mexico's largest lead producer. Caverns discovered during mining operations contain crystals of seleminiteas large as four feet in diameter and 50feet long.
Formation of Crystals:
Naica lies on an ancient fault, there is magma chamber below the cave. The magma heated the ground water and it became saturated with minerals , including large quantities of gypsum. The hollow space of the cave was filled with this minerals-rich hot water and remained filled for 500,000 years. During this time the temperature of the water remained very stable at over 52 oC. This allowed crystals to grow to immense sizes.
How did the crystals reach such superheroic proportions:
In the new issue of journal geology, Gracia Ruiz reports that that for millinniea the crystals thrived
in the cave's extremely rare and natural environment. Temperatures hovered consistently around a steamy 136 F and the cave was filled with mineral-rich hot water that drove the crystal's growth.
Photos:
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