Soledar Salt Mine

The scale of the mines is vast, with 125 mi (201 km) of tunnels^[2] at a depth of 288 m (945 ft),^[3] and many of the chambers are 30 m (98 ft) in height.^[4] The largest resembles a hangar of about 100 m (330 ft) length and 40 m (130 ft) width and height, and has accommodated soccer matches and the inflation of a hot air balloon.^[5] There are accommodation areas in the chambers and even a church.^[6]

The temperature underground is constant at 14–15 °C, with 14.93 PSI air pressure and 60% humidity regardless of the time of the year,^[7][8] giving rise to claims of healing properties for lung conditions.^[9]

The mining of salt started in the town of Soledar in the 19th century.^[10]

During the Battle of Soledar, on 10 January 2023, pro-Russian outlets, including Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, claimed the mines were largely occupied by Russian and Wagner Forces, although these reports were not independently verified.^[11] After the claimed Russian capture of the whole city, Denis Pushilin, head of the Russian occupation administration of Donetsk Oblast, said during a visit to Soledar in late January 2023 that the salt mines remained damaged and difficult to descend into.^[12]

 

Soledar's long history of mining has created an "underground city" of tunnels^[13] that Deutsche Welle described as a "magnet for tourists".^[14] There are guided tours as deep as 200–300 metres (660–980 ft), with attractions including sculptures made of salt crystals.^[14]

In 2004 and 2006, a cave was repurposed to host classical music concerts by the Donetsk Symphony Orchestra underground.^[13] In September 2020, the same chamber was also used for a soccer (football) match.^{[15] [13]} It was also host to the first-ever underground hot air balloon flight, as listed in the Guinness Book of Records.^[16]

Since the early 1990s,^[16] the chambers have also contained "speleosanatoriums":^[14] rooms made of salt that attempt to "recreate the allegedly restorative conditions of salt mines",^[17] where 100 patients with respiratory diseases are treated.^[14] This practice is part of the controversial halotherapy industry, in which it is believed that the inhalation of salt dust is a "miracle cure for respiratory illnesses".^[17]

A particle physics detector, the Artyomovsk Scintillation Detector [ru], is located in the mine.^{[citation needed]}

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  Entrance to Soledar salt mine
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  Soledar salt mine
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  Football pitch in Soledar salt mine
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  The underground "concert hall" in Soledar's mines
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  Sculptures from Salt
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  A sign in the salt mine
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  Inside Soledar salt mine
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  Soledar crest in the salt mine

• Wieliczka Salt Mine

48°41′N 38°06′E / 48.683°N 38.100°E / 48.683; 38.100