Russian Salt Mines – Daring Photography by Mikhail Mishainik

When you stare too long at the walls of Russian salt mines, after a while, they start to stare right back at you. Daredevil photographer Mikhail Mishainikfound this out the hard way when he went to an abandoned salt mine 650-feet below the city of Yekaterinburg in Russia. He has spent over twenty hours exploring the place and found colorfully hypnotic patterns of carnallite on the floors, walls, and ceilings of the mine. Carnallite is a rich source of magnesium and is mainly used to make crop fertilizers. He said: “It is hard to describe how it feels being so far down, you lose all track of time and the air is very dry, you always feel thirsty. There is the possibility of a gas leak from chemicals such as methane, hydrogen sulphide carbon dioxide as well the risk of a landslide. The danger element is part of the fun and it’s a special feeling being somewhere very few people have seen.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more about his adventures here.