I-Crystal Cave Mexico: Lapho Amakristalu Akhula Aze Afike Ngezilinganiso Ezinhle Kakhulu

I-Cave of Crystals, etholakala eChihuahua, eMexico futhi yatholakala ngo-2000, iwumhume ongaphansi komhlaba omuhle kakhulu kodwa oyingozi. Lo mgede omkhulu, ongamamitha angu-30 ngamamitha angu-10, uhlotshiswe kusukela phezulu kuye phansi ngamakristalu amakhulu e-selenite gypsum, amanye awo amakhulu kunawo wonke emhlabeni. Ikristalu ende kunazo zonke imile ekuphakameni okungamamitha angu-11.4 futhi inesisindo esingamathani angu-12.

Naphezu kobuhle bawo, Umgede Wamakristalu uvaliwe emphakathini ngenxa yezimo ezikhohlisayo nezingase zibulale ngaphakathi. Njengoba izinga lokushisa elingaguquki elingu-58 degrees Celsius kanye namazinga omswakamo aphakathi kwamaphesenti angama-90 nangama-99, ukuhlala ngaphakathi ungavikelekile isikhathi esingaphezu kwemizuzu eyi-10 kungase kubangele ukunqwabelana koketshezi emaphashini nokufa.

Ukuze bahlole lo mhume, abacwaningi kufanele bagqoke amasudi avikela ukushisa anemishini yokuphefumula ukuze bamelane nezimo ezingaphakathi. Ngisho nemishini yokuzivikela, ukudabula umhume kuseyingozi ngenxa yezindawo ezibushelelezi nezimbozwe ngokujiya kwamakristalu. I-Gypsum, iminerali okwenziwa ngayo amakristalu, inesilinganiso se-Mohs sokuqina kwesilinganiso esingu-2 nje, okubenza babe sengozini yokuphuka nokunyakaza ngaphansi kwethrafikhi yezinyawo.

Ukwakhiwa Kwekristalu Emhumeni Wamakristalu

Eminyakeni eyizigidi ezingama-26 edlule, iSierra de Intaba yaseNaica eChihuahua, eMexico yakhiwa indunduma ye-magma isunduza phezu komhlaba. Le ntaba iqukethe imihume eminingi emikhulu ye-gypsum crystal, kuhlanganise noMgede Wamakristalu, owawugcwele amanzi ashisayo anothe nge-calcium sulfate. Lokhu kunikeze izimo eziphelele ukukhula kwekristalu.

Amaminerali avelele ohlelweni lomhume izinhlobonhlobo ezisobala ze-gypsum ezibizwa ngokuthi i-selenite. I-anhydrite, eyakha lapho kukhona amanzi e-acid sulfide nama-calcium ions, nayo yayichichima emanzini ashisayo emhumeni. Lapho izinga lokushisa lamanzi lehla, i-anhydrite yancibilika futhi amakristalu e-gypsum aqala ukwakheka cishe ku-58°C (136°F). Amadiphozithi e-anhydrite ancibilika kancane anikeze i-calcium ne-sulfate eyanele ukuze kugcinwe ukukhula kwamakristalu e-gypsum.

Umhume Wezinkemba ongumakhelwane wezwe ukwehla kwezinga lokushisa ngokushesha, okwenza amakristalu amancane e-gypsum akheke. Ngokuphambene, ukupholisa kancane kwamanzi eMgedeni Wamakristalu kwavumela amakristalu ambalwa ukuba akhule abe osayizi abakhulu kakhulu.

Nakuba ucwaningo lwenziwe ukuze kutholwe isizathu esiqondile sokukhula kwala makristalu amakhulu, kukholelwa ukuthi ukucwiliswa kwawo okuqhubekayo emanzini anothile ngamaminerali kwawavumela ukuba akhule iminyaka elinganiselwa ku-500,000 kuya kwesigidi.

Ngo-2017, izazi ze-NASA microbiology zathola amagciwane avaleleke ekufakweni koketshezi ngaphakathi kwamakristalu. Amagciwane alinganiselwa eminyakeni engaba ngu-50,000 ubudala futhi kungenzeka ukuthi ayephila ngokufaka amakristalu ama-manganese nensimbi.

Umsebenzi Wezimayini Around Crystal Cave

INtaba iSierra de Naica, enezinqolobane ezicebile zomthofu, i-zinc, nesiliva, ibilokhu isikhungo sezimayini iminyaka eminingi. Umhume Wezinkemba owawufinyeleleka kalula watholwa abavukuzi ngo-1910 futhi waphangwa iminyaka eyikhulu. Ukuze bafinyelele ezimisweni zemigede, abavukuzi kwakudingeka bampompe amanzi anothile ngamaminerali ayegcwele kuyo. Ukwenza lokhu, kwakhiwa ichibi eduze kwedolobha laseNaica, futhi elilingana nedamu lokubhukuda elingange-Olympic lalikhishwa emigedeni njalo ngemizuzu engu-40.

Nakuba lokhu kunikeza ukufinyelela kubavukuzi nabacwaningi, kuphinde kwabeka engcupheni ukuzinza kwamakristalu amakhulu njengoba ukuntula kwawo i-buoyancy kungase kubangele ukuthi ziwe ngaphansi kwesisindo sawo. Ukususwa kwamanzi kuphinde kwaphazamisa inqubo yokukhula kwamakristalu e-gypsum. Ngo-2015, imisebenzi yezimayini yayekwa, futhi imigede yavunyelwa ukuba kancane kancane igcwalise amanzi.

Njengamanje, amanzi akakafinyeleli eMgedeni Wamakristalu, futhi akuqiniseki ukuthi izinga lamanzi liyophinde libuyele ekuphakameni kwalo kwangaphambilini. Nokho, ithemba liwukuthi ngolunye usuku, imigede egcwele ikristalu iyophinde icwile emanzini, okukhuthaze ukukhula nokulungiswa kwamakristalu amakhulu kunawo wonke emhlabeni.