Quarry Korkino, Russia

The Korkino quarry, located in a small town of the same name in Russia, is the deepest man-made pit coal in Europe. It is 1500 meters in diameter and 500 meters deep. The exploitation of the deposit started in 1931 when the simplest equipment was used. Only with time, industrialists have introduced explosives, which significantly increased coal production. Nowadays, the most advanced equipment is operated in the mine.

The largest explosion was organized in 1936, just in a few seconds the bomb squad managed to bring up to the surface more than one million cubic meters of valuable rock formation. The explosion was so strong that it was recorded in another hemisphere. Coal resources in the quarry are simply enormous. If the level of expected output remains the same, work in the Korkino mine will proceed more than 80 years.

At the same time, coal production is decreasing, as the coal output becomes unprofitable. So the future of the Korkino mine remains unknown, it is likely to be converted into a tourist attraction. Ten years ago, a ski resort was built on one of the slopes, but eventually it was closed. Scientists overwhelmingly insist on the recultivation of the quarry because they believe there exists the threat of man-made disasters. Next - Sibai Quarry