Naica Mine

Naica Mine in Chihuahua, owned by Industrias Peñoles, is a lead, zinc, and silver mine famed for extraordinary crystal chambers uncovered during mining. Its best-known chamber, the Cave of the Crystals, lies about 300 meters underground and contains giant gypsum crystals among the largest natural crystals ever found, formed by hydrothermal fluids heated by a magma chamber below the mine. The site’s extreme heat and humidity made exploration dangerous and tightly limited. Another chamber, the Cave of Swords, was discovered in 1910 and held smaller, younger gypsum crystals. After flooding forced operations to stop in 2015, some chambers were allowed to refill, enabling crystal growth to continue.

Chihuahua · Mexico