A joint Chinese-British cave expedition exploring Nongle Tiankeng (an area of naturally formed pits) using SRT (Single Rope Technique) from Oct 4 to 8 has discovered a giant cave hall.

Nongle Tiankeng is surrounded by lush green mountains. [Photo/gxnews.com.cn]

Located in Haiting village, Pingle Yao ethnic township of Fengshan county in Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, the discovery at Nongle Tiankeng is about 100 meters wide, more than 200 meters long, and at its maximum depth is 118 meters. In the southeast corner is a giant cave hall that preliminary measurements calculate to be about 77,000 square meters. 

The giant cave hall is hidden inside the valleys. [Photo/gxnews.com.cn]

Led by Zhang Yuanhai, a researcher from the Institute of Karst Geology under the Chinese Academy of Geological Science, and Andy Evans, chairman of the International Cave Association, the 19-member expedition scanned the hall with 3D technology. They subsequently discovered a cenote around 150 meters deep and a series of underground rivers which flow to the surface to become the source of Panyang River.

The cave pearls lie in the deep of the cave. [Photo/gxnews.com.cn]