Crystal caves in Mexico are in danger of disappearing

From the beginning of January 2010, the BBC's science film crew arrived in Crystal Cave in Mexico, located 160 meters deep underground, where there are crystals of CaSO ₄ high up to 10-11 meters, to make the film 'Earth How have created crystal pillars'?

Crystal cave in Mexico.Photo: National Geographic

Filmmakers must carry breathing masks and cooling jackets, because the place is hot to 50 degrees Celsius but has a moisture content of 90-100%.

The reason the BBC urgently made the film about the Crystal Cave is that this wonder is at risk of disappearing due to climate change.

The increasing water level in the area caused the owner of the cave to decide to stop the operation of the suction pumps. Meanwhile, the water will again fill the cave like 200,000 years ago and destroy crystal columns like they never existed.

Crystal Cave was discovered 10 years ago by a silver miner Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico.

In the study published in the journal New Scientist in December 2009, scientist Paolo Garofalo, University of Bologna, Italy, said: '200,000 years ago, the environment in the cave changed from wet to dry. That process, the evaporation condensed some of the calcium salts in the water, forming crystal columns like now. '