I first came across this diamond mine in a thread on ADV. A couple guys are riding across Russia and put up a couple pics.
It seems there are other diamond mines elsewhere in the world done the same way.
Pretty amazing how much earth has been removed :o :o
http://deputy-dog.com/2007/09/7-amazing-holes.html (http://deputy-dog.com/2007/09/7-amazing-holes.html)
(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1374/1349490665_e52b6f8c8d.jpg?v=0)
(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1076/1349702207_dd24448e5b.jpg?v=0)
That second one is crazy!
Well, crazier...
What kind of pumps do you run to keep that from just filling up with water?
Or how many. . .
I worked at this amazing hole for 4 years. The Mission Mine is a quarter-mile deep, two miles from north to south, and a mile-and-three-quarters from east to west. About six times the amount of earth moved to dig the Panama Canal has been mined here. Everyday at 4pm you got to watch the ANFO fun.....
(http://www.asarco.com/AMDC/images/Mission.GIF)
(http://www.jimletourneau.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/copper-mine.jpg)
Cool pics Angler!
Carlin Gold Mine in Nevada. F'ing huge!
(http://www.geomineinfo.com/images/Gold%20Quarry%20-%201.JPG)
Pipeline Gold Mine, a newer gold mine in NV. I did some consulting work here in the late 90s.
(http://www.geomineinfo.com/images/Pipeline.JPG)
(http://www.geomineinfo.com/images/Pipeline%20-%202.JPG)
I was expecting a different kind of amazing hole when I opened this thread. My bad.
oops. me too.
Hehe, I knew someone would think about that.
I was when I posted
;D
This is the 'superpit' in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. To get an idea of size, the 4 little yellow shapes in a row in the bottom right of the pit are 330 tonne haulpaks. You can't see the bottom or far left side of the pit in this picture. It goes about another 1.6km around to the left. It's about 3km long and 1.2km wide.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b157/howleylongboards/superpitpanorama.jpg)
From the rim of the Homestake mine in Lead, SD
(http://www.rudyrucker.com/blog/images/dakopencut.jpg)
(http://newmexiken.com/wp-content/images/2009/09/Homestake.jpg)
Homestake was originally a shaft mine but eventually it collapsed and the open pit was the only alternative to access the gold in them thar hills.