Soledar Salt Mine

The Soledar Salt Mines (also called Artyomsol Salt Mines after the State Enterprise Association Artyomsol that operates the mines) are located in the city/suburb of Soledar in the Bakhmut municipality in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. The scale of the mines is vast. The mines have 125 miles of tunnel,[1] are at a depth of 288m,[2] and many of the chambers are 30 meters in height,[3] The largest resembles a hangar of about 100 meters long and 40 meters width and 40 m height, and has accommodated soccer matches and the inflation of a hot air ballon.[4]

Soledar salt mine concert hall

The temperature underground is constant at 14–15 °C, 772 mm Hg air pressure and 60% humidity regardless of time of the year.[5][6] giving rise to claims of healing properties for lung conditions.[7]

Many of the chambers are exquisitely decorated with carvings in the salt rock[8] There are accommodation areas and even a church.[9]

In October 2004 the Donetsk Symphony Orchestra under direction of Austrian conductor Kurt Schmid gave a symphony concert in the main chamber, accompanied by Viennese Opera, singer Victoria Lukyanets.[10]

A particle physics detector, Artyomovsk scintillation detector is located in the mine.

History

The mining of salt started in the town of Soledar in the 19th century.[11]

See also

References

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