This Breathtaking Cave in Mexico Is Filled With Towering White Crystals
Some of the elongated blocks of crystals are up to 37 feet long and 5 feet wide
Fittingly known as the Cave of the Crystals or Giant Crystal Cave (Spanish: Cueva de los cristales), this fascinating cavern connected to a zinc mine in Naica, Mexico, is crisscrossed with gleaming gypsum crystals – some of the largest natural crystals ever found that dwarf human explorers.
The largest crystal in the cave is 11.40 meters (37.4 ft) long, with a volume of about 5 cubic meters (180 cu ft), and an estimated mass of 12 tons. The enormous sparkling structures are so pure that scientists are unable to date them using conventional techniques. Nevertheless, within one of the crystals they have discovered what is believed to be a 50,000-year-old bacteria sample.
This mysterious cave was only discovered in 2000 by brothers Juan and Pedro Sanchez when the mining company owning the property drained the water from this part of the mine. In 2017, they allowed the cave to be reflooded with water rich in minerals which is required for the crystals to grow (so if you want to visit it, you’ll definitely need a diving suit, given you ever get a permit to get in).
When it was accessible, the cave was extremely hot, with air temperatures reaching up to 58 °C (136 °F) with 90 to 99 percent humidity. In this kind of environment, humans can endure only about ten minutes of exposure at a time. It is not surprising, therefore, that the place remains relatively unexplored.
