Popigai crater, Impact crater and diamond mine in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
Popigai crater is an impact structure in northern Siberia created by a meteor strike and extends across a vast region with visible rings of raised earth and altered rock layers. The site shows clear signs of the enormous energy released during the collision, with rock fragments and mineral-bearing zones scattered throughout the area.
The crater formed about 35 million years ago when a large asteroid struck the region, transforming existing graphite into diamonds through extreme pressure and heat from the impact. This event permanently altered the area's geology and created the mineral deposits visible today.
Scientists and researchers from various disciplines gather at this remote location to study impact geology, mineralogy, and diamond formation processes.
The location sits in a remote Siberian region and requires special permits plus extensive planning to reach. Transportation infrastructure is limited, so visitors should prepare thoroughly and account for local conditions.
The crater contains lonsdaleite, a special carbon structure that forms naturally only at impact sites and has unusual hardness. This diamond variety cannot form through any other natural process on Earth.
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