Tour of the underground Soledar.
Salt in ancient times is a constant companion of man. Familiar to us now, this mineral in certain historical periods was valued equal to gold and the possession of them would bring wealth and power. And all because to some far salt mining was manual and time consuming process. In the modern world salt production has long been mechanized, performed on a large scale and is worth a penny.
In Ukraine, the main salt-mining enterprise is SE “artyomsol”, with extensive production capacities in the city of Soledar, Donetsk region. in addition to the existing production, there is also a small and simultaneously a unique area accessible to tourists. We there today and take a look.
In 1880, in the Donbass, near the village of Bryantsevka it was discovered a large underground deposits of salt. The following year was put into operation the first mine and began commercial production of rock salt. This event actually marked the beginning of the enterprise “Artemsol” and the development of the current Soledar. Its modern name it received in honor of F. A. Artem. Now SE “artyomsol” — the largest enterprise for production and sale of salt throughout Central and Eastern Europe: the products are delivered to 22 countries.
The company is able to produce more than 7 million tons of salt per year. In Soviet times, “Artemsol” produced 40% of the country’s total production of rock salt.
Salt production Artemovskiy Deposit occurs at a depth of 200-300 m. For more than a hundred years formed a system of mine workings length of about 300 km, produced over 250 million tons of salt, the void volume exceeded 110 million cubic meters. Despite the large amount of excavations developed at present only 3% of salt available in the field. So salt stock Soledar will last for a long time.
In one of the waste located underground workings Department of speleosanatory “Salt Symphony”, which is used in the treatment of respiratory diseases. At the same time it could restore up to 100 people. There are guided tours and there is even an underground Museum of salt industry. The tourist area takes only a couple of kilometers.
The beginning of 2014. On arrival at the destination we were met by one of the many headgears that are scattered around the Donbass, and the inscription “SE artyomsol” over the entrance.
From the first steps of felt that there was still a going concern, and not a developed tourist attraction
The descent to the tourist area occurs through the shaft 3 bis, which now plays the role of ventilation. The tourist level is at a depth of 288 m. the descent Speed is 3.75 m/s, and within fifteen minutes we are already at the bottom. During the descent ears.
Rudder and mine cages. The trunk almost the entire height of a tunnel lining of cast iron liner.
Wall of salt. The arch of salt. Paul (suddenly!) also from salt. Such a huge salt shaker, inside of which you can walk.
Salt evaporation ponds began 250 million years ago from sediments of a salt of a shallow Bay of the ancient sea, which was on the site of the present Soledar. The walls and vaults excavations covered with the waves — so unusual look of the salt layer in the section. Each layer was formed about 100 thousand years.
In the tourist area and speleosanatory you can see a number of sculptures and reliefs made of salt, created by local craftsmen. For example, the patron Saint of miners — Good Shubin. Letters as — logo “great Patriotic”.
The power (thickness) of the horizon at this point — more than 30 m.
The main entrance to the underground part of speleosanatory:
I otkovyryali a couple of pieces of salt from the walls and to taste — salt was tasty and clean. In General, they say that salt from local deposits can be packaged in bags almost immediately without purification.
The analogue of Mertsalov palm is also made from salt:
The entrance to the Museum of salt industry. The bricks around the door made of salt crystals and have a dynamic backlight that is constantly changing color. In the Museum we don’t go, there’s nothing really interesting there. Better view of how speleosanatory.
The main entrance to speleosanatory:
The remnants of the New year:
Temperature in the mines is constantly in the range of about 15 °C.
Nice.
The development, located in the massif of rock salt, and completely dry. Water is the main problem of the salt field. If dry salt production does not require additional strengthening and well maintained mountain pressure, in contact with water they start to deteriorate rapidly. Therefore waterproofing here give special attention to.
The beauty of Soledar in the fact that there is a well-preserved footprints from the actual production of salt: the walls and vaults indented characteristic patterns from tunneling.
It is the deepest toilet I have seen
The office for the rest of the patients. Behind the blinds are the beds.
Local improvement:
Another long development, which can not only relax, but also spend time:
Cafe:
In the formulation, which is 30-m photo enclosed by a lattice, is the transformer:
So look sleeps:
There is literally everything
Will be satisfied even fans of Alla. Once a Diva down to the local salt mine, and since that memorable day there are these pictures:
Like a layer cake:
Well, the most epic place is a chamber 42, having a height of 27 m and over 100 m in length.
On the walls and in the end noticeable the characteristic marks from the incisors of roadheader. The camera was developed by multiple tunneling layers from top to bottom. The number of roundels in the end you can easily count the number of passes of the combine (two roundels = 1 pass).
In General, such cameras in Soledar very much, but are open for tourists only. The opposite side of chamber 42:
