These Peruvian salt terraces were once a precious asset of the Inca. Regardless, you can actually tour this radioactive salt mine when you visit Germany. However, there is a risk to local residents from exposure that may make it more feasible to leave the barrels down there. In 2010, it was decided to remove the barrels, which could take years. There is a worry that the caverns will collapse completely. This was especially concerning if the mine flooded.įurthermore, the mountain itself isn’t that stable which is causing the cracks that are causing the flooding. This was because the groundwater of the region was breaching the caverns, raising the possibility of corroding the barrels with rust and causing leakage into the water. However, in 2008 some media reports disclosed that contaminated brine had been pumped deep into the lowest part of the mine caverns. It was once a set of mines where both potassium and rock salt were excavated from 1906-1965 After the site closed, the state took it over to test the concept of storing radioactive waste.įrom 1967 to 1978 approximately 125,000 barrels of low-level and medium-level radioactive waste were stored in the mines. The Asse Salt Mine has been at the forefront of much controversy in the past decade. Approximately 10,000 people can be fit into the cathedral at capacity, and it attracts 3,000 plus visitors on most Sundays. The current cathedral is 75 meters long, 25 meters high and has a giant cross carved on the back wall. However, the local town was undeterred and began building another cathedral 200 feet below the previous one, completing it in 1995. However, authorities shut down the working cathedral in 1990 after concerns were raised about structural soundness in an active mine. The original cathedral was inaugurated in 1954. The Cathedral was carved out of an active salt mine in 1950 after being inspired by a small cathedral erected in the mines by workers. It is carved out of the Zipaquira salt mines which have been in use since 5th century BCE. The Cathedral of Salt in Colombia is the largest salt mine in the country. Here are the top 10 largest salt mines in the world. Because of the efficiency of mining, salt is much more commonplace and affordable. The difficulty of mining made salt a rare symbol of wealth on a table. As such, this was the work of slaves and prisoners. Rapid dehydration in miners from constant contact with salt and the “salt dust” that was breathed in made life expectancy short. Before the Industrial Revolution, salt mining was incredibly dangerous and was done largely by hand. While salt is commonplace today, it used to be hard to come by and considered a delicacy, as well as a mark of wealth.
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