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Cave of the Crystals

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Coordinates: 27°51′3″N 105°29′47″W / 27.85083°N 105.49639°W / 27.85083; -105.49639

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mexican cave renowned for its giant crystals

For other uses, see Crystal Cave.

Cave of the CrystalsCueva de los cristalesGypsum crystals in the Naica cave. Note person for scale

Location within Mexico

LocationNaica, Saucillo Municipality, Chihuahua, MexicoCoordinates27°51′3″N 105°29′47″W / 27.85083°N 105.49639°W / 27.85083; -105.49639[[Geographic coordinate system|Coordinates]]: {{#parsoid\u0000fragment:5}}[https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Cave_of_the_Crystals&params=27_51_3_N_105_29_47_W_region:MX-CHH_type:landmark_source:wikimapia 27°51′3″N 105°29′47″W&#xfeff; / &#xfeff;27.85083°N 105.49639°W&#xfeff; / 27.85083; -105.49639][[Category:Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas]]"}}'/>Length109 m (358 ft)Discovery2000GeologyLimestoneHazardsHigh temperature and humidityAccessCurrently inaccessible

Cave of the Crystals (Spanish: Cueva de los cristales), also known as Naica Cave (Spanish: Cueva de Naica) or the Giant Crystal Cave , is a cave connected to the Naica Mine at a depth of 300 metres (980 ft), in Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico. It takes the form of a chamber within the limestone host rock of the mine, and is about 109 metres (358 ft) long with a volume of 5,000 to 6,000 cubic metres (180,000 to 210,000 ft3).[1]

The chamber contains giant selenite crystals (gypsum, CaSO4 · 2 H2O), some of the largest natural crystals ever found.[2] The largest is 11.40 metres (37.4 ft), with a volume of about 5 cubic metres (180 ft3), and an estimated mass of 12 tonnes.[1] When not flooded, the cave is extremely hot, with air temperatures reaching up to 58 °C (136 °F)[3] with 90 to 99 percent humidity. This is comparable to temperature records in Death Valley, but with much wetter air that results in a much higher wet bulb temperature; this prevents cooling via sweating. The cave is relatively unexplored because of these factors.[4] Without proper protection, people can only endure approximately ten minutes of exposure at a time.[5]

The cave was discovered in April 2000 by brothers Juan and Pedro Sánchez while drilling in the mine. As of October 2015[update], the mine had reflooded and the cavern filled once more with the water rich in minerals required for the crystals to grow.

A group of scientists in the Naica Project have been studying these caverns.[6]

Formation of the crystals<br>[edit]

Naica lies on a fault above an underground magma chamber which is approximately 3–5 kilometres (2–3 mi) below the cave. The magma heated the ground water which was saturated with sulfide ions (S2−). Cool oxygenated surface water contacted the mineral-saturated heated water, but the two did not mix because of the difference in their densities. The oxygen slowly diffused into the heated water and oxidized the sulfides (S2−) into sulfates (SO2−<br>4) that precipitated as anhydrite (CaSO4). When the overall temperature of the cave started to drop below 56 °C (133 °F), the hydrothermal and sedimentary anhydrite crystals dissolved, and gypsum (CaSO4 · 2 H2O) crystals formed.[7] The hydrated sulfate gypsum crystallized at an extremely slow rate over the course of at least 500,000 years, forming the enormous crystals found today.[8]

Discovery<br>[edit]

Location of the Swords and Crystal caves with the gypsum crystals within the idealized block diagram of Naica mine<br>Water-clear selenite crystal "floater" from the Naica Mine. Size: 18 by 14 by 13 centimetres (7.1 in × 5.5 in × 5.1 in), weight 2.6 kilograms (5.7 lb)

In 1910, miners discovered a cavern beneath the Naica Mine workings, the Cave of Swords (Spanish: Cueva de las espadas). It is located at a depth of 120 metres (390 ft), above the Cave of the Crystals, and contains spectacular, smaller (1-metre (3 ft 3 in) long) crystals. It is speculated that at this level, transition temperatures may have fallen much more rapidly, leading to an end in the growth of the crystals.[2]

Giant Crystal Cave was discovered in April 2000 by miners excavating a new tunnel for the Industrias Peñoles mining company located in Naica, Mexico,[9] while drilling through the Naica fault, which they were concerned would flood the mine.[10] The mining complex in Naica contains substantial deposits of silver, zinc and lead.

The Cave of Crystals is a horseshoe-shaped cavity in limestone. Its floor is covered with perfectly faceted crystalline blocks. Huge crystal beams jut out from both the blocks and the floor. The crystals deteriorate in air, so the Naica Project...