I’m not getting caught up in all that. This blog is about holes of all sizes from Cone Penetration Test holes to the worlds ‘biggest’ excavations. And for me there is no better place to begin than Mirny Diamond Mine, Eastern Siberia. Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mir_mine) reports that it lies second after Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah, USA but there is one aspect of the stories associated with Mirny Mine that adds more intrigue to this almighty hole.
I have to admit to not knowing the accuracy of such reports but none the less what i love about this place, other than its sheer scale, is the story that airspace around the mine has been closed to helicopters due to the downward air flow ‘sucking’ the aircraft into the mine!
The above picture (http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/2005/08/worlds-largest-diamond-mine.html) shows the close proximity to the mine of an airstrip which is midly concerning both for the departing/arriving aircraft and for the accuracy of the said rumour! None the less it is a truly extraordinary feat of human engineering to be applauded and the perfect nugget of information with which to begin this blog.
Some more info, including an in-depth ‘discussion’ on the advocacy of a helicopter being ‘sucked’ into a hole available at the following sites:
http://lerevdr.wordpress.com/7-amazing-holes-the-helicopter-experts/