Seven Amazing Holes Around the World

[Just Susan]

I thought maybe some of you would be as awed by these as I was.
Susan http://www.millan.net/minimations/toolminis/mermaid3.gif (http://www.millan.net)

Amazing Holes

Looking at photos like these fascinates me.
The sheer scale of these holes reminds you of just how tiny you are.

1. Kimberley Big Hole - South Africa

Apparently the largest ever hand-dug excavation in the world,
this 1097 meter deep mine yielded over 3 ton's of diamonds
before being closed in 1914.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/Kimberley1.jpg
The amount of earth removed by workers is estimated to
total 22.5 million tons.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/Kimberley2.jpg

2. Glory Hole - Monticello Dam
A glory hole is used when a dam is at full capacity and
water needs to be drained from the reservoir.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/GloryHole1.jpg

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 s econd.

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/GloryHole2.jpg

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/GloryHole3.jpg
The hole can be seen at the top left of the photo above.
If you were to jump in for some reason your slightly dead
body would shoot out near the bottom of the dam.
(below)
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/GloryHole4.jpg

3. Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/BinghamCanyonMine1.jpg
This is supposedly the largest man-made excavation on earth.
Extraction began in 1863 and still continues today.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/BinghamCanyonMine2.jpg
The pit increasing in size constantly.
In its current state the hole is 3/4 mile deep and 2.5 miles wide.


4. Great Blue Hole, Belize
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/GreatBlueHoleBelize1.jpg
Situated 60 miles off the mainland of Belize this is an incredible,
geographical phenomenon known as a blue hole.
There are numerous blue holes around the world
but none as stunning as this one.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/GreatBlueHoleBelize2.jpg
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.

5. Mirny Diamond Mine, Serbia

I'm pretty sure most people have seen this one.
It's an absolute beast and holds the title of largest open diamond
mine in the world.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/MirnyDiamondMine1.jpg
At 525 meters deep with a top diameter of 1200 meters.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/MirnyDiamondMine2.jpg
There's even a no-fly zone above the hole due to a few helicopters
being sucked in.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/MirnyDiamondMine3.jpg
The red arrow in the photo above is pointing to a 50 ton truck.

6. Diavik Mine, Canada

This incredible mine can be found 300km northeast of
Yellowknife in Canada.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/Diavik1.jpg
(It's amazing that it doesn't fill up with water, being surrounded by it.)
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/Diavik2.jpg
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.

7. Sinkhole, Guatemala

A sinkhole is caused when water (usually rainwater or sewage)
is soaked up by the earth on a large scale, or when drout causes
the water table to drop, leaving large sub surface voids that can
result in the ground collapsing.

These photos are of a sinkhole which occurr ed early this year in
Guatemala.
The hole swallowed a dozen homes and killed at least 23 people.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/Guatamala1.jpg

Officials blamed the monster of a hole on a ruptured sewage pipe
but geogelists know that such a hole can open up under anyones
home. Hector Andreas had just gotton out of bed when the floor
went out from under his home, leaving him stranded along the
existing wall with just enough floor to excape certain death.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/lake21brook/Guatamala2.jpg

[punkpup]

Fabulous Susan! Thank you!

I agree about how absolutely stunning and fascinating these phenomena, both natural and man made are.

[Muncle]

I kinda expected to see Boston's Big Dig in there some place. They may not have excavated 22 million tons of dirt from it, but they put at least 22 million tons of cash into it.

[Just Susan]

Muncle, I think the narrative and the first two pictures of the Glory Hole - Monticello Dam... Inspired Boston's Big Dig. Imagine the water as money.

[Taltarzac]

I stopped by Meteor Crater in Arizona on my roadtrip from the San Francisco Bay area to Palm Harbor in 1996. http://www.meteorcrater.com/index.php

If you like big holes, this is one to see. I went to the Grand Canyon first, then to the Meteor Crater. At least one movie was filmed partially in Meteor Crater. Starman is one of these.

[Mikitv]

Great and Amazing Pictures. Look a little scary if you got near them.

[JohnnyM]

Great pix Susan, deeeeep subject!

[Just Susan]

You are too clever Johnny. Aren't they scary?

[The Great Fumar]

WOW
Where is a putter when you need one ?????

whats par ? fumar

[Just Susan]

You know I hadn't thought of that...what a great idea. I might even get a hole in one at one of these sites!!!
http://www.millan.net/minimations/toolminis/mermaid3.gif (http://www.millan.net)

[Sidney Lanier]

Holy cow! Thanks for posting; they are pretty awesome....

[punkpup]

I kinda expected to see Boston's Big Dig in there some place. They may not have excavated 22 million tons of dirt from it, but they put at least 22 million tons of cash into it.


Muncle, you are right about that!!! Biggest "Money Pit" I know.

[Russ_Boston]

The Big Dig was a HUGE amount of money but you know what....


It is much nicer now. Not only has the traffic improved but the look is much more pleasing. All those rusted elevated supports for the expressway are gone!

I want to thank everyone in America who contributed to our little construction project :joke:

Now if we can just keep the new tunnels to Logan from flooding.