Winged metal red. Treasures of a kimberlite tube

The kimberlite tube is a vertical or close to this geological body, which was formed as a result of a breakthrough through gases. This pillar is distinguished truly giant sizes. The kimberlite tube has a shape that resembles a huge carrot or a glass. Its upper part is a gigantic blowing of a conical shape, but with depth it gradually narrows and finally goes into the core. In fact, such a geological body is a kind of ancient volcano, the ground part of which was more damaged thanks to erosion processes.

What is kimberlite?

This material is which consists of flogopite, porop, olivine and other minerals. Kimberlite is distinguished by black with greenish and bluish tint. At the moment, more than one and a half thousand bodies of the mentioned material are known, ten percent of which are diamond breed. Specialists note that approximately 90% of all the reserves of diamond sources are concentrated in kimberlite tubes, and the remaining 10% in the lamproit.

Riddles associated with the origin of diamonds

Despite the many studies in the field of diamond fields, modern scientists are still unable to explain some features related to the origin and the existence of these precious stones.

Riddle First: Why is a kimberlite tube located exclusively on ancient platforms and shields that are the most stable and stable blocks of the earth's crust? After all, the thickness of these layers reaches 40 kilometers of rock consisting of basalts, granites, etc. What kind of power is needed to make such a breakthrough?! Why the kimberlite tube breaks through a powerful platform, and not more subtle, say, the oceanic bottom, the thickness of which is only ten kilometers or transition zones - at the borders of the oceans with continents? After all, on these sites, geologists are not able to answer this question.

The next mystery is an amazing form kimberlite tube. In fact, it is not like a pipe at all, but rather - to a huge cone on a thin leg, which goes deep.

The third riddle concerns the extraordinary form of minerals in such rocks. All minerals that are crystallized under molten magma, form clearly cut crystals. Examples can serve as an apatite, zircon, olivine, grenade, Ilmenite. They are widespread in kimberlites, but at the same time do not have crystal faces, and remind all attempts by geologists to find the answer to this riddle did not lead to anything. At the same time, diamonds located next to the mentioned minerals have the perfect form of octahedra, which are characteristic of sharp ribs.

As named the first kimberlite tube

The first of these geological bodies that were found and mastered by people are located in the south of the African continent in Kimberly Province. The name of this area has become nominative for all such bodies, as well as rock containing diamonds. This first tube is called a "big hole", it is considered the greatest quarry, which has developed people without the use of technology. He currently completely exhausted himself and is the main attraction of the city. From 1866 to 1914, the first kimberlite tube gave developers of 2722mkg diamonds, which amounted to 14.5 million carats. About 50 thousand people worked in the quarry, which with the help of a shovel and the calls were removed about 22.5 million tons of soil. The design area is 17 hectares, its perimeter is 1.6 km, and the width is 463 m. The career depth was 240 meters, but after the end of production it was covered with a blank breed. Currently, the "big hole" is an artificial lake, the depth of which is only 40 meters.

The biggest quarry for diamond mining

The mining of diamonds in Russia began in the middle of the last century with the discovery in 1954 of the Zarnitsa deposits on the size of which was 32 hectares. And in a year in Yakutia, the second kimberlite diamond tubeShe was assigned the name "World". The city of Mirny rose around this field. To date, the mentioned kimberlite tube (a photo will help the reader to present all the grandeur of this diamond field) is considered the largest in the world. The career depth is 525 meters, and the diameter is 1.2 km. The mining of diamonds in the open way was discontinued in 2004. Currently, the construction of an underground mine to test the remaining reserves, the recess of which is dangerous and unprofitable. According to experts, the development of the pipeline under consideration will continue at least 30 years.

HISTORY OF KIMBERLITE TUB "MIR"

The development of the deposit was carried out in the harsh climatic conditions. In order to break through the eternal throat, had to blow up the breed dynamite. Already in the 60s of the last century, the deposit gave 2 kg of diamonds per year, and 20 percent of them corresponded to jewelry quality and after the cut came to jewelry salons as diamonds. The rest were used for industrial purposes. From 1957 to 2001, diamonds were mined in the "World" career, the total value of which was $ 17 billion. During this period, the quarry expanded so much that cargo transported 8 kilometers from the surface to the bottom along the spiral road. Helicopters were categorically forbidden to fly over the object, since the huge funnel just sues everything aircrafts. Hidden walls of the career are also dangerous for terrestrial transport And people working on extraction: There is a threat of a landslide. Today, scientists are developing a project of Ecoordoda, which should be located in a career. For this, it is planned to cover with a translucent dome on which solar panels will be installed. The space of the future city is planned to divide on tiers: the upper - for the residential zone, the average - to create a forest survey area, and the lower will have an agricultural.

Conclusion

Diamond mining has a centuries-old history. As new deposits are discovered and the exhaustion of the explored leadership was transcended first from India to Brazil, and then to South Africa. At the moment, the leading position is occupied by Botswana, second place - Russia.

Feb 10, 2009

Kimberlite tube 'World "- a quarry located in the city of Mirny, Yakutia. The quarry has a depth of 525 m and a diameter of 1.2 km, is one of the world's largest in the world. The mining of the diamondic kimberlite ore was discontinued in June 2001. Currently, on board the career, the construction of an underground mine with the same name is underway, to work out the remaining reserves, the recess of which is unprofitable.

The kimberlite tube was opened on June 13, 1955 by the geologists of the Amakin expedition Yu. I. Khabardin, E. N. Elagina and V. P. Avdeenko. The famous radiogram, transferred by them by the leadership of the kimberlite detection, was coded:
Located the tube of the world ZPT Tobacco Great TK Avdeenko ZPT Elagina ZPT Khabardin TKK

In 1957, the mining of diamonds in the open way continued until June 2001 began. Next to the quarry was formed by the village of Mirny, which became the center of the Soviet diamond-producing industry. The largest diamond found in Russia was mined at the Mir Rudnik on December 23, 1980. It weighs 342.5 carats (more than 68 g) and called "XXVI CPSU Congress". In recent years, career trucks "screwed up" on a spiral road 8 km from the bottom to the surface.
During his work, the quarry was reconstructed 3 times, a unique tiponight curtain was created, which prevented the arrival of aggressive brigade from the megaerto-ICHC aquifer, as well as a waterproof system 32250 m3 of water per day (about 1 million m3 per month). Geological intelligence showed that the depth of diamonds exceeds a kilometer, so at present, the company Alrosa, developing the field, builds an underground mine at the field. For the construction of an underground mine and future safe testing of the upper underground horizons, the bottom of the canned career was covered with a special safety layer. This "pillow", or "Coles", is not amenable to discontinuous pressures, its thickness is 45 meters.
During the years of development of open (career), diamonds were produced from the field, according to informal data, by $ 17 billion, about 350 million cubic meters were exported. m. breed.
For the opening of the "Peace" tube Yu.I. Khabardin was awarded the Leninist Prize, E. N. Elagina was awarded the honorable diploma and a diploma "Deployer of the Depositor", and also became an honorary citizen of the city of Peace.

Sand career - two people! Volunteers are there? Not? Well, then let's go to the Diamond Quarry "Peace" in Yakutia, where you can look at something more interesting than the shovel and stretcher with sand.

So, Yakutia is a country of cold, yakuts and ... diamonds. It is here that a significant part of natural diamonds are produced, which are used by Russia for internal needs and are sent to export. The kimberlite tube is the diamond field, something like a funnel, which contains or does not contain diamonds. The kimberlite tube found in 1955, called the World, turned out to be a very successful find, and as it was developed by one of the world's largest diamond careers, which produced hundreds of diamonds of various sized annually.

The most stunning find was a diamond weighing 68 grams (for comparison - a diamond in your ring, as a rule, weighs 0.5 - 3 grams in the best case). After the cut, he became less, but still remained the largest natural diamond in the USSR and the CIS countries, and was named after the XXVI CPSU Congress. Now a precious, if not to say - a precious, stone is stored in the diamond fund of Russia.

By the way, the history of the detection of the tube in some way is even mystical. Imagine ... Yakutia. Dubak scary! Off-road, snow and nothing around interesting. But here the geologists of the sisterings notice a high larch and rush to her, as at least to some kind of reference. And they see, it became, under it Lisai Nora. And the land is normal - with a characteristic bluish tinge, meaning the desired breed here. Who knows, maybe the mistress of Taiga in Foxed decisions decided to complicate over frozen bearded geologists and specify the path to them? However, it is unlikely.

After the telegram "opened the phone of the world. Tobacco excellent "got into Moscow, trucks with a tarralet and a diesel fuel, cement and shovels, canned food and pillowcases, and future diamond miners built a village, and then the city" Mirny ", alone Srubiv and the first larch, and There are still many trees, the shooting of foxes and sands and thoroughly tumping pure taiga air exhaust.

But we will not be about sad, because, although the quarry thoroughly rummaged over time, he introduced a cosmic diversity in the local places. Career serpentine descent is about 8 kilometers (imagine this trip!). But so that it is better to better assess the sizes of a career, imagine that if you look at it from a bird's eye view, the residential buildings near him look like a piece of match next to a tea saucer.

This is such a giant funnel with the Soviet industry in the ground, and, striving for the impact mining of diamonds, people themselves have created a danger - a quarry at any time can start turning and tighten into oneself at home, and which will open in the middle of the site - one God knows. So tourists there, of course, do not let (although they are still tumped there, like some "black" diamond miners who want to try their happiness). However, it is possible to fly near the funnel on the helicopter - it is near it, and in no case above it, since the air flows formed in a diamond career are easily sucking any aircraft, so such a journey can be fatal.

In the career career, the mining of diamonds is also not conducted - the system of underground mines is being created, which must be more secure and cost-effective than an open diamond quarry in Yakutia.
However, an attempt to reduce the level of danger to the city and the environment is already taking. Moreover, it can make a very original way - namely, building in a quarry ... city. Its sizes are quite allowed - the depth of the tube is half aalkometer, the diameter is one and a half.

The city will turn out to be small, but super-modern - according to the design of the creators. It will be the world's first ecooper in the pit, located on several tiers based on a concrete block-plug, which will prevent the sickness of the career, and from above covered with an energy-saving dome. The city will have their own agricultural areas that will provide residents with everything necessary, and energy planning from the sun (according to scientists, the energy-saving dome over the quarry will help to accumulate enough to satisfy the needs of the city, and the heat of the earth can be used for heating (mainly For tourists), scientific laboratories and much more.

Of course, according to the cost of the construction, the project of Ecoordoda may exceed the value of all diamonds mined in the Diamond Career (and they, for a minute, mined up to two kilograms per year, and high-quality diamonds for industrial needs were valued higher than future diamonds for rings and seryls) But it will be able to pay off quickly - at the expense of small costs of energy consumption and means of tourists who will definitely want to visit this place. In the meantime, closed, but not a forgotten quarry gambs a huge funnel, which is also afraid and manit to himself.

Ksenia Willchin
Anastasia Bersenev

Even at the beginning of the 19th century, rumors began to be born about the presence of precious stones in the territory of Yakutia and Western lands bordering it. A number of scientists and geologists indicated the existence of important features of the similarity of the structure of the Siberian platform with South African, where the active development of indigenous diamonds was already underway. The local history and teacher Peter Stovovatov, after the Civil War, talked in Kemphendya (area of \u200b\u200bp. Suntar) with an old man who told him about his find in one of the local rivers - it was a sparkling pebble with a pin head. Nakhodka he sold a merchant for two bottles of vodka, a bag of cereals and five tea bags. Later, another local resident also said that on the shores of Krempheyayyai rivers, there were precious stones.

But only in 1947-1948 (after the government's decision for the signature of Stalin on activating the search for diamonds in the USSR) for the first time, targeted searches of diamonds in the Siberian platform began. In the fall of 1948, a group of geologists, headed by the city of Fanstein, launched search engines on the rivers of Vilyui and Chon, and on August 7, 1949, the first diamond was found on the sandy spit, and the diamond painter was subsequently revealed here. Search works 1950-1953 were also crowned with success - several diamond places were discovered, and On August 21, 1954, the first kimberlite tube was opened in the Soviet Union, called the Zarnitsa.

Kimberlit - Magmatic rock, containing diamonds, often in industrial concentrations. The breed is called the same name with the city of Kimberly to South Africa, where in 1871 a diamond was found, the weight of which was 85 carats (16.7 g). The formation of a kimberlite tube is simplified - a consequence of a volcanic eruption when gases are under huge temperature and high pressure through earth Corre Eat out from the bowels of the earth. A volcanic explosion takes a diamond-containing breed on the surface. Geologically, the tube has a mold of a glass or funnel of huge scales, which causes the characteristic form of diamond quarries around the world.

With the help of the unique method of "pinpoint shooting", proposed by Natalia Nikolaevna Sarzadski (search for fields in the puffs - diamond minerals, excluding, long and expensive searches of the Schurfs, "Older" in 1955, 15 indigenous deposits were opened, among them - the famous "World". On the fact of the foundation, the expedition was sent a famous radiogram: "Located the tube of the world of ZPT Tabak excellent TKK Avdeenko ZPT Elagina ZPT Khabardin TKK."

The opening of the field was a find of extreme importance for the USSR and one of the largest geological discoveries of the twentieth century. The diamond industry was designed to seriously increase the economic potential of the Soviet Union. The mining of diamonds on an industrial scale first began on the "world".

Personal sensations from the first meeting with a quarry - he is huge!
To date, the quarry has a depth of 525 meters and a diameter of 1.2 km - and yes, contrary to frequent delusion, it is not the largest. The "world" is significantly inferior in the size of the open in the same 1955 and located 400 km north of the "successful" tube (its size on the surface of 1600x2000 meters, depth of 640 meters). Nevertheless, the production of "world" is impressive: During the years of development in an open method, diamonds were mined from the field of unofficial data for $ 17 billion, about 350 million cubic meters of breed were exported.

Panorama.
By clicking on the picture, the original will open:

The mining of ore in the "World" career was discontinued in 2001, and the bottom of the mine was molded to prepare for the development of the upper underground horizons. Geological intelligence showed that the depth of diamonds exceeds 1 kilometer - production in an open way at such a depth is dangerous and unprofitable, so now Alrosa retrieves a diamond-containing ore on underground mines.

In the future, it should look like this:

Memorial mountain machinery aboard a career by climbing which I

In recent years, the development of the "World" route of Belarus on the spiral road from the surface on the bottom was almost 8 kilometers. Now the side of the career is tremended, the road is maintained in working condition only on a small area, to pumping stations.

Martian landscape:

A little about water in the "world".
In the location zone of the kimberlite tube undergoing aquifer. The underground "river" created serious difficulties all the time of active career development, "Fighting" with it is being conducted to this day - now the safety of work on the mine in the thickness of the Earth depends on this. High-mineralized water, finding a lot of exits, is poured with streams on the bottom of the career at a speed of over 1000 cubic meters hourly. Now the turquoise acid lake is splashing here:

During the development of "Peace", it was reconstructed three times, a unique tiponight curtain was created, which prevents the ingress of aggressive brings from the Meagero-Iccan aquifer, as well as a water-removal system that removes from a career to 1 million cubic meters of water monthly.

To pump water, several pumping stations are equipped, in service with them - high performance submersible pumps (4 pumps at each station, the performance of each pump is over 450 cubic meters / hour). Passing water in the pipeline is supplied to the Lake Lake located outside the city - a drive of mineralized water, where the pumping station located on the shore in turn pumps the water further - again under the ground, in the geological spill.

Even during the construction of an underground mine, the bottom of the career was covered with the safety layer of the rock - this is the so-called "ore celkin", designed to protect the mine from the onslaught of thousands of water cubic meters from above. In connection with the active development of the mine, work is carried out, the purpose of which is to make the entire influx of water manageable. In particular, structures that intercept water on the upper horizons must be launched. Thus, the mine will fully comply with all safety requirements.

Initially, I went out to the "world" by the courtyards on the east. "Tourist" point, from where, mostly remove the career is located on the opposite side - in the airport area. It is easy to get in principle, if you know where to go, but in general - hiking tourists here are not a place. The road is ground, a lot of dust and bellates, after the rain most likely it takes to a completely unlucky state. On the way, then the case comes across the passing signs.

In Soviet times, a sufficient number of cities were erected on the territory of our country, many of which are real unicumes in their own way geographical position and used engineering solutions. Such is the city of Mirny (Yakutia). Diamond mining quarry, which is located in his feature, is one of the wonders modern MiraSince it is amazing even those who have seen specialists.

"Peace Tube"

By the way, this quarry, a "kimberlite tube", bearing the name "World", is a scientific. The city itself appeared after it opening and starting developments, and therefore was named after her honor. The quarry has an unreal depth of 525 meters and the diameter of almost 1.3 km! The sama was formed in time immemorial when the streams of lava and hot volcanic gases were broken from the depths of our planet with a huge speed. On the cut, she resembles a glass or cone. Thanks to the enormous force of the explosion, kimberlite was thrown out of the state of the earth - the so-called breed containing natural diamonds.

The name of this substance occurred on behalf of the South African city of Kimberly. There, in 1871, a diamond was discovered by weight of almost 17 grams, as a result of which prospectors and adventurers from all over the world were injected into the terrain. How did our city have peaceful (Yakutia)? The quarry is the basis of his appearance.

How was the deposit

In mid-June 1955, Soviet geologists in Yakutia were looking for traces of kimberlite and came across the fallen larch, the roots of which were taken out of the ground with a powerful hurricane. This natural "harvest" took advantage of Lisa, digs there Nora. She served us a good service: according to the color of the earth, experts understood that there was excellent kimberlite under fox.

A coded radiogram was immediately sent to Moscow: "they reappear the tube of the world, excellent tobacco"! In just a few days, huge columns of construction equipment stretched into the wilderness. That was the city of Mirny (Yakutia). The quarry had to be developed in extremely difficult conditions. It is worth just to look at the flooded with snow, to understand the grandiose work done here!

Delegation from South Africa

To break through a few meters of many years of milling, we had to use tens of thousands of tons of powerful explosives. Already since the 60s of the last century, the deposit began to give a consistently two kilograms of diamonds, and at least 1/5 of them were distinguished by excellent quality and could be sent to jewelry salons after cutting. The remaining stones were intensively used in the Soviet industry.

The field developed as stormy that the South African de Beers company was simply forced to buy Soviet diamonds to buy Soviet diamonds to not allow the global decline in prices for them. The leadership of this organization filed a visit to the city of Mirny (Yakutia). The quarry struck them, that's just they stayed there for long ...

Industrial tricks

The Government of the USSR agreed, but demanded a response service - so that the Soviet specialists will put on the field in South Africa. The delegation from Africa arrived in Moscow ... and there he was much delayed, because banquets were constantly satisfied. When the specialists finally arrived in the city of Mirny, they had no more than 20 minutes to inspect the career himself.

But they saw them still struck to the depths of the soul. For example, guests simply could not imagine diamond mining technology without water use. However, nothing surprisingly in the Yakut climatic conditions for this is not: in those places, almost seven months per year costs a minus temperature, and it is not necessary to joke with many years of mallot. IN dangerous place There is a peaceful city! The depth of the career is such that if you wish, you can make even a miniature sea here.

Brief history of prey

From 1957 to 2001, diamonds were produced here in the amount of more than $ 17 billion. The quarry under the city is peaceful in Siberia in the development process expanded so much that from the bottom to the surface the length of the road for trucks was eight kilometers. It should be understood that in 2001 the deposit did not exhausted at all: just the extraction of diamonds in the open way was too dangerous. Scientists were able to find out that she lived to the depth of a more kilometer, and in these conditions there was already an underground mine. By the way, he went to the design capacity in a million tons of ore in 2012. Today, experts believe that this unique field can be developed for another 35 years (approximately).

Some area problems

The helicopters fly over the quarry is categorically prohibited, since such a flight is the right death for the machine and the crew. Physics laws simply cast a helicopter to the bottom of the career. The high walls of the tube also have enough shortcomings: there is far from the ghostly possibility that once precipitation and erosion will lead to the formation of a monstrous landslide, which will completely absorb the city of Mirny (Yakutia). The quarry, the photo of which is in the article, can be used for purposes that some may consider real fiction. It is about the possibility of creating a unique city of the future in the titanic pit.

"City of the Future": dreams or reality?

The head of this project was appointed Nikolay Lutivsky. The most difficult thing in the upcoming work is to create a cyclope concrete structure that will not only strengthen the walls of the career, but will also cut it, providing additional strength. It will be an incredible tourist attraction, which can only boast only the city peaceful!

The quarry, photos of which can be seen in the review, it is supposed to be closed with a transparent dome, on the sides of which solar panels will be mounted. Of course, the climate in Yakutia is extremely severe, but it is enough sunny days. Energy people suggest that over the year only batteries will be able to produce at least 200 MW of energy. Finally, it will be possible to take advantage of the warmth of the planet.

The fact is that in winter this area is cooled to -60 degrees on the Celsius scale. Yeah, it is difficult to envy those for whom homeland is peaceful (Yakutia). The quarry, whose photo amazes, is marked similarly, but only to a depth of 150 meters. Below is a permanent plus temperature. The futuristic city is supposed to be divided into three main tiers. At the very lower, they want to grow agricultural products, on average it is planned to be placed a full-fledged forest survey area.

The upper part is the area for permanent residence of people, in addition to residential premises there will be offices, entertainment complexes, etc.. If the construction plan is fully fulfilled, the city's area will be three million "squares". At the same time, up to 10 thousand people will be able to live here. About 36 thousand citizens have the city of Mirny (Yakutia). The quarry, whose depth is half aalkometer, will allow them to relax with comfort, not flying for this in distant edges.

Other information on the project "EcoGorod"

Initially, this project was assigned the name "eco-coherent 2020", but today it is clear that it will not be possible to implement it clearly. By the way, why are it generally going to build it? The case is in the residents: only five months a year their living conditions more or less correspond to a comfortable norm, and everything else they live at temperatures that are more characteristic of the Arctic and Antarctica. The city will allow them to rest at any time of the year, it is not necessary to forget about the production capacity of the giant farms about the production capacity of the giant farms: all residents and tourists will be achieved with vitamin fruits and vegetables.

So that the lower levels receive enough light, the center is supposed to leave the lighting mine of the giant diameter. In addition to solar batteries, the effectiveness of which is still quite doubtful (plus complexity with installation), some engineers offer an option with the construction of a nuclear power plant. To date, all this is in the stage of very blurred plans. I really want to hope that the city is peaceful, the diamond quarry of which is known worldwide, will become more comfortable for living in it.

As we said, in the 60s for the year it was mined up to two kilograms of diamonds, and their fifth part had a high jewelry quality. A ton of rock accounted for a gram of pure raw materials, and among the stones there were many of those who were suitable for jewelry processing. Today, a ton of ore accounts for approximately 0.4 g of diamonds.

The largest diamond

At the end of December 1980, the most in the history of the deposit was found here. This giant, weighing 68 grams, received the solemn name "XXVI Congress Congress".

When was the open-type mining?

When did you "finish" peace? The diamond career has become dangerously developed in the 1990s, when the depth of production reached 525 meters. At the same time, the bottom of the pit was flooded. It was the "world" became the largest diamond quarry in our country. Mining lasted more than 44 years. Until that time, the prey was supervised by Sakha, the annual profit of which exceeded 600 million dollars. Today, the mine is headed by Alrosa. This corporation is one of the largest diamond manufacturers around the world.

When did the idea of \u200b\u200ba closed mine appeared?

Already in 1970, the construction of the first tunnels was launched, since everyone understood the impossibility of permanent production in the open way. But for a permanent basis, this method was transferred only in 1999. To date, it is just known that it still lived at a depth of 1,200 meters. Perhaps diamonds will be able to extract and deeper.

This is what the raw material is rich in the Republic of Yakutia: Mirny, the quarry in which will amaze the imagination of everyone - one of the sources of national welfare. Diamonds that are produced there are not only for the needs of jewelry companies, but also on the production of many of the most complex devices and mechanisms.