The Giant Crystal Caves of Naica

Crystal CaveThese amazing cave pictures certainly reminded me of the Fortress of Solitude as seen in the superman movie!

The largest natural crystals on Earth have been discovered in two caves within a silver and zinc mine near Naica, in Chihuahua, Mexico, according to mine officials. Reaching lengths of over 20 feet (6 meters), the clear, faceted crystals are composed of selenite, a crystalline form of the mineral gypsum.

"Walking into either of these caves is like stepping into a gigantic geode," said Richard D. Fisher, an American consultant with the mining company to develop the discoveries as tourist attractions. Fisher said that most people can endure only a few minutes in the caves due to their high temperatures. The smaller of the two, which is about the size of two-bedroom apartment, is 100 Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius). The large chamber, which Fisher describes as the size of a Cathedral, is 150 F (65.6 Celsius). Both are located approximately 1200 feet (365.8 meters) below the surface.

More cool pictures of these caves after the jump.

Crystal Cave
Crystal Cave
Crystal Cave
Crystal Cave
Crystal Cave
Crystal Cave
Crystal Cave
Crystal Cave
Source:
Tags: | |

Comments

Anonymous said…
Oh! very wonderful pics! I wish I could own all these crystals!