Comments | tacit: The wonder of the physical universe: Naica, Mexico

tacit

The wonder of the physical universe: Naica, Mexico

Sep 13, 2009 15:33

Naica, Mexico is home to a number of lead and silver mines. It is also home to a geological formation that appears to be unique in all the world: the Crystal Cave of Giants, discovered accidentally by mine workers in 2000 ( Read more... )

too cool for words, pictures, science, atheism, linky-links

Comments 24

chipuni September 13 2009, 23:00:06 UTC

Those pictures are ridiculously beautiful. Thank you!

addiejd September 13 2009, 23:19:14 UTC

Wow.

ashbet September 14 2009, 00:09:31 UTC

Just out of curiosity -- I re-read the article, and I didn't see anything that said that the crystal formations would be destroyed when water was allowed to re-fill the cave, just that it would become inaccessible to humans again. Did you have another source that stated that, or was that something you read from the text of the article?

(The idea of the cave continuing to exist, just locked away underground, is a lot more comforting than the idea of the crystals being destroyed by the influx of new water!)

-- A <3

foxsong September 14 2009, 17:14:29 UTC

If those are all selenite crystals, they'll eventually melt if the cave is filled with water again, isn't that the case? I seem to remember selenite is related to salt somehow...

tacit September 14 2009, 18:05:55 UTC

That's true. The idea that the crystals are likely to disappear is an inference on my part, based on the notion that the groundwater is probably not supersaturated with gypsum. As the cave floods again and the water heats up, the gypsum crystals may end up dissolving.

Should the cave remain stable for a few hundred thousand more years, they'll probably re-form. I may also be wrong about the groundwater not being supersaturated with gypsum, in which case the cave will flood again but the crystals won't be destroyed.

icedrake September 15 2009, 00:05:58 UTC

I'd be curious about whether anyone is considering reintroducing gypsum into the groundwater reservoir or the cave directly, to restore the original (or nearly so) conditions. It being Mexico, I suspect the cave wouldn't be part of the environmental licensing requirements for the mine operators.

mellyjc September 14 2009, 00:41:13 UTC

Amazing, thank you for sharing. Sad they'll be destroyed, humans are so good at that.

greenquotebook September 14 2009, 00:45:13 UTC

May I borrow your commentary? I know about a hundred people who need to read it.

Also, my husband thinks you're brilliant and says that, if you're ever in the area (Greenville SC), you're welcome to stay with us. :)

tacit September 14 2009, 18:06:34 UTC

You may! :)