Another one discovered! Is a world-class tiankeng cluster hidden in China?

After the scientific expedition team organized by the Karst Geology Institute of the China Geological Survey under the Ministry of Natural Resources completed the expedition in Leye County, Guangxi, they confirmed the discovery of a standard tiankeng on May 7. So far, the number of tiankengs in Leye County, the "World Tiankeng Capital", has increased to 30.

Aerial photo of the newly discovered tiankeng in Leye, Guangxi. (Photo provided by Guangxi 702 Cave Expedition Team)

Zhang Yuanhai, senior engineer of the Karst Geology Institute of the China Geological Survey, introduced that according to measurements, the diameter of the pit mouth is 306 meters from east to west and 150 meters from north to south, with a maximum depth of 192 meters and an average depth of about 139 meters. The volume exceeds 5 million cubic meters, meeting the standards of a tiankeng.

The tiankeng is located near Long'ao Village, Ping'e Village, Luoxi Township, Leye County. A scientific expedition team consisting of the Karst Geology Institute of the China Geological Survey, the Guangxi 702 Cave Expedition Team, and the Leye Flying Cat Expedition Team went to the tiankeng on the 6th, rappelled 100 meters along the cliffs, climbed for several hours and stepped onto the bottom of the tiankeng, returning to the surface that night.

Chen Lixin, leader of the Guangxi 702 Cave Expedition Team, said that the expedition members descended to the bottom of the tiankeng, slowly moved downhill on the complex layers of boulders, and passed through the dense underground forest intertwined with vines, and finally reached the lowest point at the bottom of the tiankeng. The ancient trees growing towards the top of the tiankeng are nearly 40 meters high, and the dense shade plants are almost above the shoulders.

Zhang Yuanhai said that there are three large holes on the wall of the tiankeng, which are presumed to be the remains of caves in the early stages of the tiankeng's evolution. The bottom of the tiankeng preserves a well-preserved primitive forest system, which is covered by a large number of collapsed rocks. "Both the evidence of the evolution of the tiankeng and the unique ecosystem after its formation have high scientific and popular science value."

Leye County belongs to a typical karst area in southern my country. It is home to the world's largest tiankeng group, the Dashiwei tiankeng group. 29 tiankengs have been discovered so far, and it is known as the "World Tiankeng Museum".

"A tiankeng is a karst cave hall formed in carbonate rock areas, with a diameter and depth of no less than 100 meters and/or a volume greater than one million cubic meters. It is surrounded by steep cliffs on all four or most of the walls, and may have been a super-large funnel that was once connected to an underground river cave." Zhang Yuanhai introduced that the newly discovered tiankeng does not belong to the Dashiwei tiankeng group, but developed in another underground river system - the Fugui underground river. Whether there are other tiankengs and karst wonders in this underground river system requires further investigation.

Source: Xinhua News Agency