2nd deepest man made hole

7 of the Deepest Holes Humanity Ever Dug

No one’s managed to come out the other side, at least not yet.

We can’t dig to the center of the Earth, but that hasn’t stopped us from trying. Whether explicit efforts to dig through the Earth’s mantle or some of the world’s wildest open-pit mines, humankind has done some serious digging. We explore some of the craziest manmade holes out there through both ice and land.

Don’t mind the 9-inch diameter. Instead focus on the Kola Superdeep Borehole’s unmatched 7.5-mile depth. Started in 1970 by Russian scientists on the Kola Peninsula of Russia ultimately became the deepest hole in the world—deeper than even the deepest part of the ocean—after about 20 years of digging and experimentation. The 356 Fahrenheit temperature at that depth, however, made it impossible for tools to keep going. The site has been abandoned since 2008, and the hole bolted shut so nothing can get in.

Over 100 years old, the world’s largest copper mine includes a 2.5-mile-wide pit in the Oquirrh Mountains southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah. Considered the largest man-made excavation, the mine dips nearly three-quarters of a mile down and covers 1,900 acres. First started in 1906, the mine is still open, but that hasn’t kept it from being named a National Historic Landmark with a visitor center for folks who want to come and gawk.

Located in Africa and known as one of the largest hand-made holes in the world, «The Big Hole» actually started as a bit of a hill. With more than 50,000 miners pick-axing their way into the soil starting in 1866, the Kimberley Diamond Mine sunk more than 700 feet and expanded to over 1,500 feet in width by 1914. More than 6,000 pounds of diamond were pulled from what is still, understandably, a tourist destination.

One of the newer holes on the list, the Diavik Diamond Mine opened in 2003 and has reached deeper than 600 feet in the Canadian Arctic. Located on the East Island in Lac de Gras northeast of Yellowknife, the mine is accessible only by plane—there’s a gravel runway big enough for a Boeing 737—and an ice road. And that’s only if the weather is good enough. The mine yields 3,300 pounds of diamonds annually amidst the ice.

Opened in 1955 as a way to mine for copper in Butte, Montana, the Berkeley Pit grew to a depth of 1,700 feet before it was closed down in 1982. Since that time the pit has filled with over 900 feet worth of groundwater and rainwater. Combined with the heavy metals and chemicals of the prior mining operation, the water has turned highly acidic and measures are taken to keep birds out of the water ever since a 342-bird flock of snow geese died inside the mile-long, half-mile-wide pit in the 1990s.

There are claims that the winds around Siberia’s Mirny Mine sucks unsuspecting helicopters into its 1,700-feet-deep pit swirl, but even with those rumors aside, the diamond mine that began in 1955 remains fully off limits. Deep enough to hold a 150 story skyscraper inside, Stalin’s diamond mine stretches 3,900 feet across and is one of the largest excavated pits in the world. And even though work in the open-pit mine has ceased, Russia still mines underground in the site.

Thanks to the University of Wisconsin, the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica has 86 cables that reach beneath the ice, supporting 60 digital optical modules that relay data from the depths to the surface above. And that surface is a long ways away. The modules hang at depths starting at 4,750 feet all the way down to over 8,000 feet, or 1.5 miles. It took seven years to drill holes for the cables, done in the Southern Hemisphere’s summer and with a 25,000-pound hot water hose that melted roughly 200,000 gallons of water per hole.

10 Most Deepest Holes On Earth Ever Discovered!

While we may have buildings that tower over us, trees that reach for the skies and vast plains, there is still nothing like a giant crater in the earth to make you feel small. From man made pits to nature’s own design, here are some of the deepest holes on earth.

Darvaza Gas Crater

Otherwise known as the door to hell, the Darvaza Gas Crater in Turkmenistan was created by accident. In the 1950s the former soviet union was drilling for natural gas when the rig fell into an underground cavern. The crater is 65 feet deep and roughly 196 feet across. The escaping gas was set alight shortly after the incident and has been burning ever since. The smell of burning sulfur can be detected for quite some distance and becomes overbearing near the edge of the smoldering carter.

Bingham Canyon Mine

At 3,937 feet deep and 13, 123 feet wide the Bingham Canyon Mine in the Qquirrh mountains of Utah is definitely one of the largest manmade holes in the world. The copper mine has been in operation since 1906 and is one of the most productive mines of its kind, yielding more than 17 million tons of copper since 2004. There has also been 715 tons of gold, 5,900 tons of silver and 850 million pounds of molybdenum. The entire pit overs roughly 1,900 acres and it is still used today.

Monticello Dam Drain Hole

Located in Napa County, California the Monticello dam was completed in 1957 after 5 years. Rather than spilling over the edge of the dam when the water grows higher, it is funneled into the spillway. The spillway of the dam is known as the “Glory Hole” and is 72 feet wide. It can hold a maximum of 362,000 gallons of water per second. Water only spills into the glory hole when it reaches 15.5 feet above the level of the funnel, the last time this happened was in May 2006. The funnel is roughly 700 feet deep from the opening to the bottom of the spill point where the excess water is released.

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Kimberley Diamond Mine

Also known as simply “The Big Hole” the Kimberley diamond mine in South Africa is one of the largest hand dug holes in the world. Between 1866 and 1914 more than 50,000 miners used shovels and picks to carve out the gigantic hole. It yielded 2,722 kg of diamonds while in operation. The hole is 1,519 feet wide and was mined to a depth of nearly 3,600 feet underground. Over the years the hole filled with water and only 574 feet remains visible.

Dean’s Blue Hole

While there are several blue holes in the Bahamas, Dean’s Blue Hole is the largest. This underwater sinkhole is 663 feet deep and is a favorite location for scuba divers as the waters are extremely clear and there is an abundance of sea life. There is actually a competition known as “Vertical Blue” held at the blue hole where more than 30 divers meet annually in different free diving events. Legend says that the hole was dug by the devil himself and that he’s still there dragging those that dare to swim there to their deaths.

Mirny Diamond Mine

Now abandoned the Mirny Diamond mine was the first diamond mine in Siberia and was once considered the largest. It is 1,722 feet deep and has a diameter of 3,900 feet, so while it was still in operation it could take 2 hours for trucks to drive from the top to the bottom of the mine. Excavation of the pit began in 1955 when Stalin ordered the construction, following the war they were desperate for industrial grade diamonds.

Dragon Hole

In the South China sea near the parcel islands a newly discovered oceanic sinkhole has appeared. Dubbed the “Dragon Hole” this deep blue hole was recently measured to be 987 feet deep, 300 feet deeper than “Dean’s Blue Hole” in the Bahamas. More than 20 different species of fish have been found living in the upper 300 feet of the hole. Researchers believed this could be the deepest blue hole on the planet, but since the depth is far too pressurized for a diver to explore properly they have only used robotic sensors.

Diavik Mine

Owned by the Dominion Diamond Corporation the Diavik mine in the Northwest territories of Canada is the largest diamond mine in the great white north. The mine is more than 600 feet deep and is considered one of the deepest man made holes ever made. In 2015 alone it yielded 187.7 carats of diamonds. The open pit mining ended in 2012 and was switched to underground mining which is expected to continue into the 2020s.

Berkeley Pit

Formally one of the largest open pit copper mines in the US the Berkeley Pit in Butte, Montana is 1,780 feet deep. It was in operation between 1955 and 1982 before being abandoned. Today it is filled with roughly 40 billion gallons of highly acidic water laden with dangerous chemicals and heavy metals. There are serious concerns that when the water in the pit erodes the surrounding rock it will release into the surrounding waterways, polluting the nearby silver bow creek. Researchers believe this could happen as early as 2020.

Kola Superdeep Borehole

Created as the result of a scientific drilling project, the Kola Superdeep Borehole is located in the Pechengksy district in Russia on the Kola Peninsula. The project began in May 1970 and the purpose was to drill as deeply into the earth’s crust as possible. Several boreholes were created, but the deepest reached 40,112 feet in 1989 and remains the deepest man made hole on earth despite being only 9 inches wide. Drilling ultimately stopped in 1992 as higher than expected temperatures underground made further drilling impossible.

Make sure to watch the video below for more incredible pictures of these deepest holes in the world. Also please share this post with your friends on whatsapp, facebook and twitter using the buttons below the video.

Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island: The World’s 2nd deepest Blue Hole

Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island is one of the very many unique attractions in the Bahamas. Known to be the world’s second deepest blue hole, this geographical wonder draws people from around the globe. Though many people see it as the mecca of freediving, it is also an excellent place to snorkel and dive. In fact, it even offers some of the best diving in the Caribbean!

A blue hole is essentially an underwater cavern and is also sometimes known as a sinkhole. Though Dean’s Blue Hole may seem to have a small diameter of only about 100 feet at the surface, it opens up below to an exceptional 330-foot wide cavern, making it the second largest underwater cavern in the world.

Descending to an incredible depth of 663 feet, Dean’s Blue Hole has been aptly named the site of the annual freedive championship known as Vertical Blue International Freediving Competition. Not only is this a hub for rookie freedivers, but the Vertical Blue freediving school is operated by none other than William Trubridge, the freediving world record holder.

How to Discover Long Island Bahamas

Bahamas Air Tours is the ideal way for you to explore this majestic archipelago. It can take ages to tour the islands by boat. By air, though, you will be diving into Dean’s Blue Hole in no time. Whether you’re looking for the best snorkeling in Bahamas or you’d just like to tour the verdant Long Island, Bahamas Air Tours is for you.

Day trips from Florida are available for the busy among us. This means that you can spend your Saturday exploring the beauty that is Long Island Bahamas and the fascinating Dean’s Blue Hole and be home before the weekend is out. Aside from the evident time-saving aspect of flight, you will also be subject to one of the very best viewpoints in the world as you soar over the Bahamas.

Dive into Dean’s Blue Hole

There is so much more the Dean’s Blue Hole than simply being the world’s second deepest blue hole. Freediving is an absolutely captivating activity that you can take part in here. It involves swimming down to as deep as the diver can go without the use of breathing apparatus. Some record holders also swim without fins to create a little more of a challenge. Though the freedivers of the world are in a very small percentage, anyone can show up to the annual Freediving Championship and enjoy the competition. You may even witness new world records being broken. This is one of the top freediving destinations in the world and attracts a number of the world’s elite freedivers. There’s nothing like a thrilling competition to add to the scenic vistas of Long Island Bahamas to make your tour an unforgettable one.

Freediving, however, is not the only water sport to enjoy here. Bahamas Snorkeling and some of the best diving in Bahamas makes this site an excellent stop for almost anyone. There is a sandbar running around the outer edge of Dean’s Blue Hole. This provides you with the perfect launching point for a quick snorkel or just an enjoyable swim. Bahamas Snorkeling here on Long Island will provide you a window into this lively underwater world. Schools of fish swim through the water and you can also view some interesting and colorful coral around the rim of the blue hole. There is no doubt that Dean’s Blue Hole provides some of the best snorkeling in Bahamas. Whether you’re on a day trip with Bahamas Air Tours, or you’re on an Island Hopping tour, snorkeling at Dean’s Blue Hole should be at the top of your list!

If you’d like to go a little deeper, you can always book a scuba tour of Deans Blue Hole. With your wetsuit and equipment strapped on, you can take the plunge and explore this mesmerizing site. Bahamas scuba diving will allow you to see a little more of the blue hole than snorkeling. You can get a good look at the lively coral reef clinging to the steep edges of Deans Blue Hole. You may even get an idea of what it might feel like to be a freediver competing in the championships. Descending into this beautiful watery cavern is an experience like no other. Dean’s Blue Hole is home to the best diving in Bahamas, and some of the best diving in the Caribbean!

Make the most of your Long Island Bahamas tour

Whether you’re enjoying some Bahamas Scuba Diving, some snorkeling or even some freediving, you will undoubtedly come across a number of sea creatures. Dean’s Blue Hole is the home of several different animals. From tiny shrimps, seahorses and colorful tropical fish to large groupers and snappers, the waters teem with swift moving critters. If you’re lucky, you may even get the chance to swim alongside a majestic sea turtle. These extraordinary creatures glide effortlessly through the water and are a true marvel to witness. No matter what you’re visiting Long Island for, a visit to the sea creatures of Dean’s Blue Hole is an absolute must!

If you are a freediver, then there truly is no better place for you than Dean’s Blue Hole. It will push your body to the limit. You can even be under the supervision of world record holder William Trubridge. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of freediving, or you’re just starting out, there is no one on earth with more valuable lessons to teach about the art of freediving.

Whatever it is that you do at Dean’s Blue Hole, you are sure to have an unforgettable time. Watersports combined with sea creatures, the world’s second deepest blue hole and some of the most beautiful tropical scenery you will see on your tour of the Bahamas makes for the trip of a lifetime. The best way to ensure that this trip runs seamlessly is to book with Bahamas Air Tours. You can choose from a range of packages and experience the Bahamas like never before. You will also have the chance to view Dean’s Blue Hole from above, which is a truly splendid sight.

Book a trip with Bahamas Air Tours

Exploring the Bahamas has never been easier. With all that Long Island has to offer, it could prove to be quite difficult to experience it all on a single day trip. However, Bahamas Air Tours will ensure you have enough time to make the utmost of your trip here. Whether you’re visiting Dean’s Blue Hole or you’re just exploring the beauty of Long Island, Bahamas Air Tours will cater to you.

While a day trip from Florida to Long Island will be an excellent trip, it’s not the only package offered by Bahamas Air Tours. In fact, you can choose from a range of tours, each with their own destinations spread across the entire archipelago. Bahamas Air Tours ensures a comprehensive visit to this exceptional country. You can also choose between overnight trips, in which you will be able to enjoy an island hopping tour over several days. There is nothing quite like flying above the Bahamas and viewing it in all its beauty as you travel to your next exciting destination.

Select images courtesy of the Bahamas Ministry Of Tourism.

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World’s deepest manmade hole dubbed ‘well to hell’ plunges 40,000 feet

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The borehole in Russia Rakot13/Wikimedia

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Earth’s deepest artificial hole stretches 40,000 feet below the surface — and it’s only covered by a rusty metal lid.

Russia’s Kola Superdeep Borehole was created by the Soviets in the name of science so they could learn more about what’s really under our feet and dig to depths unknown.

The project to drill into the Earth’s surface began near Murmansk in the 1970s, when Soviet scientists wanted to learn more about the Earth’s crust.

Over two decades, they managed to dig more than 7.5 miles down into the Earth.

However, in 1992 they had to stop drilling because the temperature was around 180 degrees Celsius (356 Fahrenheit), which was far hotter than the scientists predicted it would be.

The Kola borehole in 1986. TASS via Getty Images

Experts still need to figure out a way to overcome this temperature issue if they want to keep drilling and not destroy all of their equipment in the process.

All this drilling wasn’t for nothing though as some scientific discoveries were made.

The researchers found out that there is water at 12 kilometers (7.4 miles) into Earth’s crust, despite this previously being thought to be impossible.

They also found 24 new types of long-dead single-celled organisms and gained access to rocks that were 2.7 billion years old.

The Kola Superdeep Borehole is 23 centimeters (about 8.7 inches) in diameter and its metal lid is welded on so it is unlikely that anyone would ever fall down it.

Locals in the area say that the hole is so deep you can hear the screams of people being tortured in hell, hence its nickname being “the well to hell.”

If you fell down the hole, it would take around 3.5 to 4 minutes to reach the bottom.

Lots of countries wanted to be the first to drill into the Earth’s mantle during the Cold War and today Japan is attempting to set this record.

Top 10 Deepest Places on Earth

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As we are becoming more and more technologically advanced, scientists are able to utilize the technology to learn and understand our planet better. It is true that we know more about the solar system than we do about our own planet. With more than 70% of the world’s oceans yet to be explored and new marine species and life to be discovered, we still haven’t touched the tip of the iceberg. As part of the expedition, scientists sometimes dig as deep as possible to understand the sediments or to collect microbial life from the drill samples. Here, we are listing some of the deepest places on Earth, that were either formed naturally or manmade.

1. The Mir Diamond Mine is about 525 meters deep or 1,722 ft and has a diameter of 1,200 meters (3,900 ft).

The Mir diamond mine is one of the prestigious treasures of Russia. Located in the city of Mirny, Eastern Siberia (Russia), the Mir or the Mirny Mines, is among the world’s largest man-made holes. The mine is about 525 meters (1,722 ft) deep with a diameter of 1,200 meters (3,900 ft) and has been active since 1957 to 2011. One of the biggest issues with the mine was helicopters getting sucked into the mine while flying over it. The mine is so ginormous that the downward air flow is too powerful for aircrafts or helicopters to overcome. After several incidents, the airspace above the mine was declared a no-fly zone for safety reasons.

During the 1960’s alone, the Mir mine was producing almost 10,000,000 carats of diamond per year. Within just a decade, Russia become the third largest producer of diamonds in the industry, managing to produce the finest quality diamonds. The largest ever diamond was discovered on December 23, 1980, which weighed 342.5 carats (68 g) and was given the name “26th Congress CPSU”. ( source )

2. The Nongle sinkhole in China is one of the biggest sinkholes in our planet and was only discovered recently.

There are less than a hundred natural sinkholes or “sky holes” in the whole world. These scary looking holes can be extremely deep and are formed mostly on land with limestone deposits. As time goes by, the groundwater can dissolve limestone from underground and create caverns. Over time, these underground caverns can collapse and form a sinkhole. In 2018, a team of Chinese-British speleologists discovered the existence of one such sinkhole, which measures 656 ft long, 328 ft broad and 387 ft deep, in the limestone mountains of Nongle in the region of Guangxi Zhuang, southern China. If the sinkhole is measured from the access point, then it is even deeper; with 1,476 ft. ( source )

3. Lake Baikal in Southern Russia is the world’s deepest lake. With a depth of 5,387 ft, 1,642 meters), and its bottom is approximately 3,893 feet (1,187 meters) below sea level. It is also the world’s largest freshwater lake in terms of volume.

The world’s deepest lake is located in Southern Russia. With an estimated 5,387 feet deep (1,642 meters), it is also the world’s largest freshwater lake in terms of volume. The reason why the lake is so deep is due to the fact that it is located in an active continental rift zone; which is widening at a rate of about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) per year. So, every year, as the rift goes wider, the lake becomes deeper and scientists predict that Lake Baikal will continue to increase its depth forever.

The world’s largest freshwater lake also holds 20% of world’s entire unfrozen surface fresh water. Lake Baikal not only holds the record for the deepest lake in the world, but for the clearest one too. Estimated to be approximately 25 million years old, during extreme winter seasons, the frozen lake allows visitors to trek across crystal clear ice. The lake is also known to contain underwater gas pockets, which often cause spontaneous ignition of methane. ( source )

4. The Dragon Hole is the world’s deepest blue hole, plummeting to depths of 300m (987ft). Researchers say this sinkhole in the South China Sea is the deepest in the world.

In 2016, a team of Chinese scientists discovered what they believe may be the deepest “blue hole” on the planet. According to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, the Dragon Hole is 987 feet deep ― or more than 300 feet deeper than Dean’s Blue Hole in the Bahamas. Basically, blue holes are giant pits in the sea that can be hundreds of feet deep and have the distinct blue color which makes them easily visible from above. The Dragon Hole is located in the Paracel Islands, a disputed island group in the South China Sea claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam. According to scientists, the Dragon Hole can provide detailed records of how the climate or water level changed over tens of thousands of years. ( source )

5. “Y-40 The Deep Joy”, is the world’s deepest swimming pool with a depth of 131 feet; equivalent to the height of a 12-story building.

The Y-40 might not be your average swimming pool but it certainly can give you one of the best experiences in your life. The pool, which is located at the 4-star Hotel Terme Millepini complex in Montegrotto Terme, Italy, is the world’s deepest pool. Measuring 21×18 meters (69×59 feet) and with a maximum depth of 40 meters (131 feet), it is equivalent to the height of a 12-story building. The Y-40 was designed by architect Emanuele Boaretto and his initial goal was to create the world’s best swimming pool. However, after it was built, the pool managed to make it to the Guinness Book of World Records. The temperature in the water is also maintained at 32°C to 34°C (89°F to 93° F), so that swimmers can dive all the way to the dip without the need of any external suits. ( source )

6. The Mariana Trench, a deep-sea trench in the floor of the western North Pacific Ocean, is the deepest such trench known on Earth, stretching for more than 1,580 miles (2,540 km) with a mean width of 43 miles (69 km).

The exact depth of the Mariana Trench is unknown to this day since there are technical challenges of delivering instruments to such a remote location and obtaining accurate measurements. In 1875, scientists made the first attempt to measure the depth. With the help of sound measuring devices, the southern end of the trench was measured to be 26,850 feet (8,184 meters). It wasn’t until 1957 that scientists were able to measure and come to the realization that the trench is far deeper than it looks.

The deep-sea trench in the floor of the western North Pacific Ocean, stretches for more than 1,580 miles (2,540 km) with a mean width of 43 miles (69 km) and is the deepest such trench known on Earth. According to scientists, the trench is so deep that at the bottom, that the water pressure is eight tons per square inch and the temperature is 33-39 degrees Fahrenheit; just above freezing. ( source )

7. The Great Guatemalan Sinkhole is an enormous, 30-story-deep hole in the middle of Guatemala City. The sinkhole was formed on May 30, 2010, and is 60 feet wide and 30 stories deep.

The city of Guatemala is no stranger to sinkholes. The city, with more than 16.91 million inhabitants, has been subjected to major sinkholes throughout history. Before the Great Guatemalan Sinkhole, the last time a sinkhole opened up in the middle of the city was in 2007, when a gigantic sinkhole engulfed more than three dozen homes. On May 30, 2010, however, one of the biggest sinkholes on the planet formed right in the heart of Guatemala. Spanning 60 feet wide and 30 stories deep, the sinkhole is believed to be just one of many that is to be formed.

Scientists believe that since the city was built on top of weak materials, so he chances of sinkholes opening up is extremely high. Besides that, the Great Guatemalan Sinkhole is believed to have formed due to broken underground pipes that caused soil to erode away with time. ( source )

8. The Milwaukee Depth is the deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean, lying at a depth of 27,493 feet (8,380 m).

Located about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of the island of Puerto Rico, the Milwaukee Depth is the deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean. With a depth of nearly 28,000 feet, it is one of the deepest places on Earth. This deep is named after the USS Milwaukee, a US naval vessel which discovered the deep on February 14th, 1939 and recorded the first ever reading. ( source )

9. The Kola Superdeep Borehole is a manmade hole, which is also the deepest hole on Earth.

Although it’s not the widest, the Kola Superdeep Borehole is the deepest manmade hole in the world. The KSB was not created to find oil or to break any records, rather as a challenge between the United States and the Soviet Union. It’s only 23 centimeters (9 inches) wide, but it’s 12,262 meters (40,230 feet) deep. To put things into perspective, it’s 37.8 Eiffel Towers deep or 13,045 large adult skunks stacked head to toe. By studying the hole and Earth’s crust thousands of depths down, scientists were able to uncover many promising geological data. Roughly 4 miles down Earth’s crust, scientists discovered 2-billion-year-old microscopic plankton fossils, completely intact. ( source )

10. The Challenger Deep is the deepest place in the world’s oceans. Geologists list the official depth at this time at 10,898 to 10,916 m (35,755 to 35,814 ft).

The Challenger Deep was discovered during an expedition of the British Navy aboard the HMS Challenger as they were surveying areas in the Pacific Ocean from 1872 to 1876. To honor the ship that discovered the slot, it was named after it. In 1960, the first manned descent to the ocean’s deepest point took place, where they descended to 35,838 feet deep with the help of a US Navy submersible Trieste. The trip was however cut to roughly 20 minutes, after the glass of the bathyscaphe cracked due to the immense pressure. Filmmaker, environmentalist, deep-sea explorer, and philanthropist James Cameron has made multiple dives to the bottom. ( source )