Naica, Mining town in Saucillo, Mexico.
Naica is a mining town in Chihuahua built above an underground cave system containing massive selenite crystals formed by mineral-rich solutions. The crystals grew over thousands of years from hydrothermal activity heated deep below the surface.
Mining operations started in 1828, initially extracting lead, zinc, and silver from the ground. The crystal chamber system came to light as deeper drilling during extraction revealed what lay beneath.
Mining shaped how the community developed and remains central to local identity and daily work in the area. Families here have deep roots connected to extraction activities.
The caves below are extremely hot and humid, so special protective equipment is needed to explore them safely. Visiting requires careful planning and should only be done with experienced guides.
The crystal chamber exists in a naturally heated environment so extreme that humans cannot survive there without protection. Few places on Earth match the harshness of these underground conditions.
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