A Cave Of Gypsum Crystals

[Chiron52]

A gigantic cave of crystals has been discovered in an old silver mine in Spain.

It occupies a space of 10.7 m (8 m long by 1.8 m wide by a 1.7 m average high) and is located at a depth of 50 m in the Pilar de Jarava lead mine, in the Sierra del Aguiln, in the municipality of Pulp, coinciding with the sea level, 3 km from the coast.

Ya gotta love crystals.

 

[grubstake]

Here's some further details and pics:
http://www.geologyin.com/2016/10/enormous-crystal-geode-discovered-in.html

 

[Firepanther]

Absolutely stunning. Would be awesome to have a look at it

 

[NuggBugg]

That's gorgeous! What an experience to be in there

 

[LONEWOLF]

Very nice... Would make a fantastic Tourist spot....

Now that the Caves at Nacia in Mexico have been flooded by the mining company and sealed up, which I think is a massive shame. :brokenh: .. this new one will be the largest as far as I know........

LW...

 

[Dignit]

Wow!
Truly amazing, and magnificent.

 

[user 4386]

I once worked in such a mine - we had a lot of similar cavities and you had to be careful not to cut yourself when you climbed into one.

The problem with Naica is not only the huge cost of keeping the water down (pumping mines can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars per year on its own), but the high temperatures which only allowed visits to the crystal stopes of tens of minutes (people died of heat stroke). But it is sad that it is no longer accessible at all.

For those who don't know Naica (I think these are selenite not gypsum):

https://youtu.be/ZsIebVCr0zk

 

[LONEWOLF]

Yes they are Selenite Crystals at Naica...... I know 3 people have died at Naica from heat exposure.... There is a good doco on Naica called 'Cave of the Giants'... Explains how hot it was in there... The Mining co refused to run the pumps any more and last report I saw they were sealing it up after turning off the pumps... :brokenh:

One of My Desktop images..