Mir Diamond Pipe, Russia

The huge kimberlite diamond pipe ‘Peace’ (‘Mir’ in Russian), also called the Mirny Mine, is located on the outskirts of Mirny town in Russia. The development of the mine started in 1955 in the area of significant diamond deposits. The mine is 525 meters deep and has a diameter of 1200 meters. Upon reaching the critical level of depth, mining work was continued by underground methods. Pit mining ceased here in 2001, since 2009 extraction works are lead deep in mines only.

Mining development has been carried on in extremely harsh weather condotions. Industrialists spared neither temporal nor financial expenses struggling with permafrost. Miners’ efforts havn’t been spent in vain. Nowadays diamonds extraction is being carried on in relatively comfortable conditions even during winter season. The fact is, the permafrost ends at a depth of 150 meters, when winter temperatures drop to -60 degrees mark, deep in mines the soil temperature remains positive.

The increased attention of tourists has resulted in additional infrastructure development. Some observation points have been built over the Mirny Mine, also some memorials have been established, tourists can visit and learn a lot of interesting facts about the development of the mine in a local museum. Flights over the mine were banned recently since it has been proved by scientists that the huge kimberlite pipe is able to suck small aircrafts in. Next - Chuquicamata