China begins drilling one of world’s deepest boreholes
The drilling of China’s first borehole almost 11,000m deep for scientific exploration began in the Tarim Basin – as reported by Xinhua news agency
Drilling of the borehole began on June 6th in the desert in the Tarim Basin. According to the Chinese news agency, the mine shaft will pass through ten continental strata and reach the Cretaceous system of the Earth’s crust: stratified rocks formed 145 million years ago.
The project is expected to be completed in 457 days. China’s state media is calling it ‘an important milestone in deep-sea exploration’.
This will reportedly help scientists study the Earth’s internal structure and evolution and provide data for geoscience research.
According to Xinhua, the drilling will use equipment weighing over 2,000 tonnes and designed to withstand underground temperatures of up to 200°C and atmospheric pressure that is 1,300 times higher than normal. Alongside complicated underground conditions, the harsh ground environment of the Tarim Basin – home to China’s hottest and driest desert – complicates the task.
The publication clarified that the project is part of China’s plan to explore new frontiers in space and under the Earth’s surface. In 2021, the Chinese President called on the country’s leading scientists to overcome new barriers in various fields, including deep Earth exploration.
