Radical Plan to Make Earth's Deepest Hole Could Unleash Limitless Energy

[Warpy]

14. The gold mines outside Johannesburg are down to 3.8 kilometers

Last edited Sat Mar 12, 2022, 04:23 PM - Edit history (1)

and the ambient temperature is 140F Rocks are hot enough to blister exposed skin that comes into contact with them. Plans are to extend it down to 4.2 meters. They're pretty much at the limit of human endurance where they are, but that's the kid of temperature rise we'd see in a bore hole in a geologically stable area.

Even if they can find a way to drill down 5 km or so, figuring a way to inject water without making the area geologically unstable might be the impossible part of the dream. We know they can drill down that far, it's about half as far as the Kola Superdeep Bore.

I still found the idea interesting enough to post, even though there are too many "ifs" at present to make it ready for prime time.

There have been noises made about geothermal plants here in NM, there are plenty of areas to choose from. It's unlikely that anyone will cough up the $$ for it until/unless the big coal fired plant in the Four Corners is forced to shut down.