China is Unearthing Earth's Secrets by Digging a 10,000-Meter Hole

China is digging a 10,000-meter (32,808 feet) hole into the Earth's crust to test drilling technology and understand the underground structure.

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The drilling project, led by the China National Petroleum Corp., will last 457 days and traverse 10 layers of continental rock.

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The project aims to identify mineral resources and assess environmental risks like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

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It is part of China's broader efforts to expand underground research, encouraged by President Xi Jinping.

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China aims to strategically strengthen its energy supplies and mineral resources, focusing on bulk minerals in short supply.

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The Kola Superdeep Borehole in Russia remains the deepest human-made hole on Earth, reaching 11,034 meters (36,201 feet) below sea level.

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Previous drilling efforts, like the Kola Superdeep Borehole, encountered unexpected wetter rocks and provided evidence for plate tectonics.

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The Chinese project is a monumental undertaking, likened to a big truck driving on two thin steel cables.

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China's location in Xinjiang, a major oil and gas-producing area, offers potential energy resource opportunities, along with substantial crude iron ore reserves for steelmaking.

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