Источник: 15th International Congress of Speleology
Место публикации: Proyecto Naica
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Страницы: 283-288
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Добавлено: Elmaz
Ключевые слова: Naica, structure, mineralogy, пещера больших кристаллов, Мексика, исследования
Источник:
Реферат: Naica is a typical mining center in the state of Chihuahua, northern Mexico. The history of Naica is strictly connected to its mining activity, dating back to the end of the 18th Century. Since 1998, the mine has been property of the Compañía Minera Peñoles. The mine produces silver (second most productive in Mexico), gold, lead, zinc, and copper. In 1910, at a depth of 120 m, some miners discovered an 80-meter-long cave covered with 2-meter-long selenite crystals, Cueva de las Espadas. In April 2000, the brothers Eloy and Francisco Javier Delgado, during an excavation at the depth of 300 m, discovered Ojo de la Reina, a small cave with big crystals. A few days later, the miners discovered Cueva de los Cristales, hosting giant selenite crystals. The environmental conditions were extreme (almost 50° C, 100% humidity) and the survival time did not exceed a few minutes. In January 2001, a first visit to the cave was carried out by Carlos Lazcano, Claude Chabert, Enrique Alejandri Escoto, and Carlos Valles Carrillo. In May and October 2002, La Venta carried out two missions, reaching the bottom of the chamber filming and shooting photos. In the period 2004-2006, La Venta studied and produced specific equipment and exploration protocols for the cave’s extreme environmental conditions, which may be summarized into: refrigerated suits, refrigerated breathers (heat exchangers), communication devices, medical support and protocols, logistical support, and rescue protocols. In 2006, a joint agreement for the study and documentation of the cave was signed by La Venta with Speleoresearch&Films, C/Producciones, and Peñoles Mining Company. Speleoresearch&Films takes care of the general coordination, C/Producciones of documentation, and La Venta of research, exploration, and mapping