Mirny diamond mine, Siberia
Looking at photos like these scares and fascinates in equal doses. The sheer scale of these holes reminds you of just how tiny you are. It’s an absolute beast and holds the title of largest open diamond mine in the world. At 525 meters deep with a top diameter of 1200 meters there’s even a no-fly zone above the hole due to a few helicopters being sucked in.
The red arrow in the photo below is pointing to a huge truck.
Kimberley big hole – South Africa
Apparently the largest ever hand-dug excavation in the world, this 1097 meters deep mine yielded over 3 tonnes of diamonds before being closed in 1914.
The amount of earth removed by workers is estimated to total 22.5 million tonnes.
Glory Hole – Monticello Dam
Glory hole is used when a dam is at full capacity and water needs to be drained from the reservoir.
This is the glory hole belonging to Monticello dam in California and it’s the largest in the world, its size enabling it to consume 14′400 cubic feet of water every second.
The hole can be seen at the top left of the photo above. If you were to jump in for some reason your slightly damp body would shoot out near the bottom of the dam.
Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah
This is supposedly the largest man-made excavation on earth. extraction began in 1863 and still continues today, the pit increasing in size constantly. in its current state the hole is 3/4 mile deep and 2.5 miles wide.
Great Blue Hole, Belize
Situated 60 miles off the mainland of Belize is this incredible ‘geographical phenomenon’ known as a blue hole. There are numerous blue holes around the world but none as stunning as this one.
At surface level the near perfectly circular hole is 1/4 mile wide, the depth in the middle reaching 145 meters. Obviously the hole is a huge hit with divers.
Diavik Mine, Canada
This incredible mine can be found 300km northeast of Yellowknife in Canada.
The mine is so huge and the area so remote that it even has its own airport with a runway large enough to accommodate a Boeing 737. It also looks equally as cool when the surrounding water is frozen.
Sinkhole, Guatemala
A sinkhole is caused when water (usually rainwater or sewage) is soaked up by the earth on a large scale, resulting in the ground collapsing.
These photos are of a sinkhole which occurred early this year in Guatemala. the hole swallowed a dozen homes and killed at least 3 people.
Officials blamed the monster of a hole on a ruptured sewage pipe.
December 24th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Inspiring images…many thanks.
January 1st, 2008 at 4:14 am
The Great Blue hole is absolutely mind boggeling. It is no wonder that divers are
fasinated by it.
January 1st, 2008 at 7:28 am
Hey this is really interesting, thanks
January 12th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Great collection. I have flown over Guatemala many times looking for the sinkhole to no avail.
September 21st, 2008 at 3:23 am
Awesome info and pics. Would love to see and know more. Thanks!
October 9th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
The most amazing sinkhole is the one located in Washington, DC where trillions of taxpayer dollars disappear and never seen again!!!
November 14th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
it is realy amazing.I get excited.
how can I have more photo about amaazin things in the world?
November 21st, 2008 at 9:29 am
AMAZING……..I dont believe. Thanks for the picture
March 8th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
its really amazing,am very eager to know more
June 28th, 2009 at 9:01 am
Astonishing,Scary and AMAZING……… would love to travel and see them and know more about them. where do i get the updates on the researches about them?
September 9th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
I am curious as to why a helicopter would get ‘sucked in’ (the Mimy Mine). Anyone have any ideas on this?
February 10th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
As Bugs Bunny once famously sang, “There Ain’t No Place Like a Hole in the Ground.”
February 15th, 2010 at 5:40 am
Can anyone tell me, is there any religious fact about these holes.
Reply on my email address also.
Thanks
May 11th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
A hole that deep in such an openly arid climate would lend to air vortex and thermals that, given the right circumstances, could pull a helicopter into a dangerous wind tunnel. While a plane may be able to power navigate it’s way out, the helicopter’s propellers and engine wouldn’t help, the craft doesn’t have the aerodynamics and power to counter those kind of forces, evidently.
July 29th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
I believe that ( the Mimy mine ) it has a gravational pull, Kind of like the black hole in outer space. I’m not 100% sure on that, but It’s a educational guess.
July 12th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
i would like to visit this places..