Overview
- The Naica Mine of the Mexican state of Chihuahua, is a working mine that is best known for its extraordinary selenite crystals.Located in Naica in the municipality of Saucillo, the Naica Mine is a lead, zinc and silver mine operated by Industrias Peñoles, Mexico’s largest lead producer.
- Caverns discovered during mining operations contain crystals of selenite (gypsum) as large as 1.2 m (4 ft) in diameter and 15 m (50 ft) long. Peñoles announced in October 2015 that it was indefinitely suspending operations at Naica Mine.
- Currently, the high temperature is 58° C (136° F) with 99% humidity, which interferes with breathing and increases the risk of asphyxiation. Because of this, researchers require specialized suits with an oxygen supply to survive working in the environment.
