South Dakota Mine Site Selected for World's Largest, Deepest Underground Science Lab

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--In July 2007, the National Science Foundation (NSF) (Arlington, Virginia), an independent federal agency supporting science and engineering, selected the Homestake Mine site (Lead, South Dakota) to construct the world's deepest (7,400 feet) and largest underground science lab, estimated to cost $500 million. The mine beat out four other sites with its main competition being the Henderson Mine in Empire, Colorado.

The Homestake Mine operated from 1876-2001. In 2002, it closed and mothballed all surface equipment and altered ventilation system for the preservation of its infrastructure because of the 6,200 feet of water inside the mine. If not pumped out soon, this will continue to be a huge hurdle in moving forward with any new construction. This includes plans to construct a 4,850-foot underground interim lab, while plans move ahead to construct the 7,400-foot underground lab. An estimated 5,000 feet of water still remains in the mine and could soon reach the level of where the new interim lab is to be built.

The goal is to have the interim underground lab complete by late 2009 so scientists can begin their scientific environmental research. The lab will consist of a state-of-the-art science education center, four lab modules for physics, geosciences, biology, and engineering studies with rooms that are 150 feet in diameter by 100 feet and Neutrino Chambers to conduct various scientific experiments.

The 7,400-foot "SUSEL" will consist of 100,000 square feet of underground lab space to include deep coupled processing lab modules, along with caverns and tunnels to store fuels and wastes and sequester CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Constructing the lab at the extreme depth will enable geoscientists, biologists and engineers to access geological structures, tectonic processes and the ability to search for other life forms. The lab will also enable the scientists to adequately answer crucial environmental questions. The lab is estimated to cost $500 million, and NSF anticipates construction to begin in spring 2010 and be complete in 2012.

The main importance of constructing the lab at such depth is so that studies can be conducted away from the cosmic rays of space in order to utilize the thousand feet of rock that shield the ultra-sensitive physics studies from other background activity. The studies the scientists want to explore will be countless after the lab is complete and will focus on the history and makeup of the universe. Studies will also include research in predicting and controlling earthquakes. It may not compare to Neil Armstrong traveling 250,000 nautical miles from Earth to touch down on the moon, but his famous quote "that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" may be deemed an appropriate quote considering the depth's that these scientists are willing to go to find answers to environmental issues that affect people.

NSF will act as the landlord and operator and originally had dubbed the project "DUSEL" Deep Underground Science Engineering Laboratory. The project is now strongly referred to as "SUSEL" because of a $70 million donation that was made by philanthropist Mr. Denny Sanford. The generous contribution came with stipulations stating that NSF must choose the Homestake Mine site for the new underground lab and name it after him.

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