Did they make any special geological discoveries?
Did they find any precious metals, etc.?
Also, I'm wondering, is it possible to measure the depth of the hole using a laser?
Did they find any precious metals, etc.?
Also, I'm wondering, is it possible to measure the depth of the hole using a laser?
[From the Wikipedia article:] To scientists, one of the more fascinating findings to emerge from this well is that no transition from granite to basalt was found at the depth of about 7 km (4.3 mi), where the velocity of seismic waves has a discontinuity. Instead the change in the seismic wave velocity is caused by a metamorphic transition in the granite rock. In addition, the rock at that depth had been thoroughly fractured and was saturated with water, which was surprising. This water, unlike surface water, must have come from deep-crust minerals and had been unable to reach the surface because of a layer of impermeable rock.
Another unexpected discovery was a large quantity of hydrogen gas. The mud that flowed out of the hole was described as "boiling" with hydrogen.
> Did they find any precious metals, etc.?
These concentrate in veins, so the single borehole would not be the best way to find out. They were probably recorded in mud logs somewhere.
> is it possible to measure the depth of the hole using a laser
Holes like this are very rarely totally straight as the geology likes to manipulate the drill string as it descends. Whilst this won't be a true deviated well (due to the research goals) I'd be very surprised if there's a vertical hole.
This is what makes me think that drilling to great depths and utilizing the energy there for sustainable power generation should be possible.
It's just a matter of developing the right drilling technology. How hard can it be?
As for for rewarming the rock: if the strata that were porous and water filled were found at the appropriate levels this problem would be reduced. One would not need to hydro-shear the rock is normal in EGS plants nowadays (with some inconvenient side-effects - see Basel)[0]
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_geothermal_system
Ok, is the reported depth the true depth, or the length along the hole?
https://realt.onliner.by/2015/11/19/kola
The depth is the true depth, apparently.
Would be surprised if it's perfectly straight. Drills for oil etc can turn .