【Haichuan Chemical Industry Site】The longest nitre-purifying cave site in China, located in Shuanghe, Suiyang, Zunyi
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Shuanghe Caves are located in Wenquan Town, Suiyang County, Zunyi City in the northern part of Guizhou Province, 250 kilometers away from the provincial capital Guiyang. They are the largest and longest cave system of world-class significance discovered in China. These caves feature remarkable cave formations, steep waterfalls, unique wildlife, and peculiar spring waters, and they are also surrounded by primeval forests and wide rivers. The terrain in the Shuanghe Cave area is higher in the north and lower in the south, with an elevation ranging from 700 to 1700 meters; its landforms are mainly characterized by peak clusters and valleys.
In March 2018, the exploration length of Shuanghedong in Guizhou was increased to 238.48 kilometers, surpassing the Jenih Cave in Malaysia and making it the longest cave in Asia.
This area is part of the Yangtze River basin, with an elevation that increases from north to south, ranging from 700 to 1700 meters. The landscape is characterized by peak clusters and hollows, as well as peak cluster valleys. The water system of Shuanghe Cave consists of one river, which is called Shuangheyuan; hence the name of the cave comes from it.
The structure of Shuanghe Cave is highly complex: there are forests above the caves, and caves beneath the forests; there are caves on top of other caves, as well as caves below them, with caves nested within caves. Water caves and dry caves intermingle with each other. The Shuanghe Caves have four cave levels, five underground rivers, 23 cave entrances, and 118 side caves, forming an overall network structure. The depth of the cave (relative height) is around 240 meters; the ceiling height is generally over 10 meters, with the highest reaching more than 60 meters ； There are numerous vertical shafts in the cave, the deepest of which reaches 75 meters, while the others generally range from 15 to 30 meters.
Many creatures live in Shuanghe Cave, among which the most common are small white tadpoles. Panda fossils were found in the cave, as well as a red cave scorpion, which may represent a new cave species.