These holes are not only amazing, but some of them are really terrifying - especially #9!The sheer scale of these holes reminds us just how small we really are.
1. Kimberley Big Hole - South AfricaApparently the largest ever hand-dug excavation in the world, this 1097 meter deep mine yielded over 3 tons of diamonds before being closed in 1914.
2. Glory Hole - Monticello Dam, CaliforniaA glory hole is used when a dam is at full capacity and water needs to be drained from the reservoir. This is the 'Glory Hole' at Monticello dam, and it's the largest in the world of this type of spillway, its size enabling it to consume 14,400 cubic feet of water every second.
3. Bingham Canyon Mine - UtahThis is supposedly the largest man-made excavation on earth. Extraction began in 1863 and still continues today, the pit increasing in size constantly. In its current state the hole is 3/4 of a mile deep and 2 1/2 miles wide.
4. Great Blue Hole - BelizeThis incredible geographical phenomenon known as a blue hole is situated 60 miles off the mainland of Belize. There are numerous blue holes around the world, but none as stunning as this one.
5. Mirny Diamond Mine - SerbiaI'm pretty sure most people have seen this one. It's an absolute beast and holds the title of largest open diamond mines in the world. At 525 meters deep, with a top diameter of 1200 meters, there's even a no-fly zone above the hole due to a few helicopters having been sucked in.
6. Diavik Mine - CanadaThe mine is so huge and the area so remote that it has its own airport with a runway large enough to accommodate a Boeing 737. It looks equally cool when the surrounding water is frozen.
7. Sinkhole - GuatemalaThis is a photo of a sinkhole that occurred early this year in Guatemala. The hole swallowed a dozen homes and killed at least 3 people.
8. The Door to Hell - TurkmenistanIn 1971, during a drilling, geologists accidentally found an underground cavern filled with natural gas. The ground on which the drilling rig was placed collapsed, leaving a large gaping hole exposed with a diameter of about 50-100 meters. To avoid poisonous gases coming out of the hole, it was decided to let the gases burn. As of 2008, gases in the underground cavern are still burning without interruption. Locals have named the cavern The Door to HellAnd the really terrifying one!
9. Rat Hole - WashingtonThis is the famous 'Rat Hole' that you have heard about. It is capable of swallowing trillions and trillions of U.S. dollars annually, never to be seen again.
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