Kola Superdeep Borehole

 🌍I don't know if America will be reached if the earth is drilled. But the man-made Kola Superdeep Borehole (SG-3) is the deepest man-made crater located in the Pechenga district of the Kola Peninsula, Russia, near the Norwegian border. This exploration was to study the structure of the Earth's crust and the materials beneath it.☠

🔬 Research objectives

The main objectives of this project are:

🌍 To directly study the crust, the surface layer of the Earth, and the mantle below it.

🌍 To provide more information for seismic studies. To clarify the variations in the speed of seismic waves (seismic discontinuities).

🌋To understand the temperature, pressure, and their changes in the properties of rocks with increasing depth.

⚙To develop advanced drilling materials and technologies necessary to drill to such depths.

 Key findings

While drilling the borehole, scientists discovered many unexpected things. This changed many geological theories that had existed until then.

💥But the temperatures found in the depths were much higher than scientists expected. At a depth of 12 kilometers, the temperature rose to 180°C (356°F). This caused the drilling equipment to melt and damage.

It was initially thought that there would be no water at such a depth. However, a lot of hot water was found in the rocks below 6 kilometers. Scientists believe that this water may have come from minerals in the rocks.

🌍When analyzing earthquake waves, scientists believed that basalt layers would be seen below granite rocks at a depth of 7 kilometers (Conrad discontinuity). However, this layer could not be found in the Kola Crater. Instead, there was a metamorphic form of granite rocks (metamorphic granite).

 🦠 Microfossils (fossils of microorganisms) dating back 2 billion years have been found in rocks about 6.7 km deep. This is considered evidence that microorganisms can survive even at extremely high temperatures and pressures.

❄ Large amounts of hydrogen gas have also been found in the depths of the crater.

End of the project

The project was abandoned in 1992 due to the inability to operate drilling equipment due to unexpectedly high temperatures and financial difficulties. The record depth of 12,262 meters still belongs to the Kola Superdeep Borehole.

📸 No pictures of the interior of the borehole exist, as it is a narrow shaft with a diameter of 23 cm, closed by a metal lid. The available pictures are of the surface site, drilling rigs, and core samples. China is planning to conduct a similar expedition in the near future!