The Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah

The Bingham Canyon Mine, located in the Oke Mountain southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah, is the world's largest copper mine. This gigantic excavation has been underway for almost a century, beginning in 1906, and has grown into a massive pit measuring 2.5 miles wide and over three-quarters of a mile deep, spanning an amazing 1,900 acres. Despite its continuous operation, the mine has been designated a national historic landmark, attracting a large number of visitors to its dedicated centre who come to admire this engineering marvel.

Diavik Diamond Mine, Canada

The Diavik Diamond Mine, located in the isolated Canadian Arctic, began operations in 2003. This mine, located on the east island of Lactogra, northeast of Yellowknife, has reached depths of more than 600 feet. Accessibility is a considerable difficulty, with the mine only accessible by plane via a gravel runway capable of accommodating a Boeing 737 or by an ice road during good weather. The mine generates roughly 3,300 pounds of diamonds every year despite the difficult and freezing conditions.

Mernie Mine, Russia

The Mernie Mine in Siberia, Russia, is steeped in folklore, with reports of tremendous winds drawing helicopters into its depths. Regardless of these allegations, the Diamond Mine, which began operations in 1955 on Stalin's instructions, is still one of the world's most impressive excavations. The pit is 1,700 feet deep and 3,900 feet wide, large enough to accommodate a 150-storey skyscraper. Although surface mining ended years ago, Russia continues to mine diamonds from this location through subterranean operations.

Ice Cube Neutrino Observatory, Antarctica

The University of Wisconsin is leading a one-of-a-kind scientific initiative at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica called the Ice Cube Neutrino Observatory. This observatory has 86 cables, each supporting 60-digital optical modules, which are deployed at depths ranging from 4,750 feet to more than 8,000 feet beneath the ice. Drilling the holes for these wires took seven years, with a 25,000-pound hot water hose melting around 200,000 gallons of water per hole. This observatory transmits critical data from the depths of the ice to the surface, greatlym helping to our understanding of neutrinos.

The Kimberley Diamond Mine, Africa

The Kimberley Diamond Mine in Africa, sometimes known as the Big Hole, is considered one of the world's largest hand-dug excavation sites. Initially a hill, the site witnessed over 50,000 miners use pickaxes to remove diamonds from the soil beginning in 1866. By 1914, their efforts had resulted in a crater over 700 feet deep and 1,500 feet wide. During this gigantic dig, workers collected nearly 6,000 pounds of diamond. Today, the Big Hole is a popular tourist attraction that highlights the region's rich diamond mining past.

The Berkeley Pit, Montana

The Berkeley Pit in Butte, Montana, started as a copper mining operation in 1955. The excavation eventually reached a depth of 1,700 feet before being closed in 1982. Since then, the pit has accumulated almost 900 feet of groundwater and rains, which has turned highly acidic as a result of heavy metals and chemicals from mining operations. This toxic water has been lethal to wildlife, as illustrated by the terrible episode in the 1990s in which a flock of 342 snow geese perished after landing in the mile-long, half-mile-wide pit. Birds are now being prevented from entering the poisoned water.

Kola Superdeep Borehole, Russia

The Kola Superdeep borehole, located on Russia's Kola Peninsula, is the world's deepest artificial point. Despite its modest 9-inch diameter, this borehole reaches a depth of 7.5 miles, exceeding even the deepest sections of the ocean. Russian scientists started drilling in 1970, and after 20 years of continuous effort and research, they reached this incredible depth. However, the severe temperature of 356 degrees Fahrenheit at this level prevented continued drilling, resulting in the site's abandonment in 2008. The borehole has since been plugged to prevent further ingress and escape.