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Earth detection upgraded
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CHINA is now considering drilling a hole with a depth of 5,000 metres into the earth.
It will take 1,000 days with a total investment of 150 million yuan (US$19 million) to finish drilling the hole with a diameter of 15.6 centimetres.
Headed by Wang Pinxian, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and professor with Shanghai-based Tongji University, 67 experts from the country's various departments will form a research team and be in charge of the project.
"Carrying out of the project will usher in a new era for China's research on earth sciences," Wang said.
According to Wang, drilling a hole so deep into the earth is a very difficult task. To attain the purpose, a special drill with diamond awl has been made.
According to senior engineer Zhang Wei, a member of the research team, instead of showing human's power to do so, drilling the hole aims to acquire timely information about terrestrial changes deep under the earth.
Donghai County of Jiangsu Province has been chosen to be the location of the scientific drilling.
Insiders pointed out that Donghai County is not only regarded to be the best place for earth research, but also rich in various mineral resources such as diamond, jade and others.
Moreover, the county is very near to a seismic zone in East China, so drilling a deep hole there may provide important information for more precise earthquake predictions in the future.
(Dong Haitao)
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