Contemplating the Earth’s Navel

Got this blog topic from my husband and actually I’m kind of glad the suggestion wasn't about navel lint or contemplating his own navel. If you know him you will get my meaning here. There actually is a place that is considered the navel of the Earth and it is in of all places, Siberia. The town adjacent to the navel is Mirny which built up around the Mir diamond mine, the second largest excavated hole on our planet. On a side note, the largest excavated hole is in Utah-the Bingham Canyon copper mine. But back to the navel of the Earth…the Mir diamond mine operated for 54 years and produced over 2 tons of diamonds per year at its operational peak. That’s a lot of navel lint! The mine is now closed but there remains the navel, 525 meters deep and 1.2 kilometers wide. Air space over the navel is closed (Hint, hint dear husband!) due to unverified reports of helicopters being sucked towards the mine. The largest diamond was found there in 1980 and weighed in at an amazing 342.5 carats…that’s two and a half ounces weight wise for the metrically challenged. Quite a find, though probably a bit too large for adorning a bellybutton these days.