Zolushka, also known as Emil Raсovitsa, is a cave located in gypsum deposits on the territory of Moldova and Ukraine. The total length of the passages is 92 km*, the area is 206.5 thousand m²*, the volume is 550 thousand m³*. In terms of length, it claims to be the 3rd** largest gypsum cave in the world and the 27th** longest cave in the world.
* Information updated on 23.01.2022.
** As per Bob Gulden – http://www.caverbob.com/
Discovery
In the media, there are three dates for the opening of the cave: 1959, 1969, 1977. This is due to the following.
In 1946, in the area of the village of Criva, as a result of geological exploration, a gypsum deposit was discovered, which lies close to the surface. In 1954, the industrial extraction of gypsum by the open method began. In 1959, after another explosion, a cavity opened in the wall of the quarry, from which water gushed. Then only one of the upper galleries was affected, and not the system itself. The groundwater …
General information
The cave is located in the Eastern European region, in a place where the borders of three states meet: Ukraine, Moldova and Romania. One of the borders – Moldavian – Ukrainian – passes directly above the cave. Cave entrance coordinates: X = 5473068, Y = 5349974.
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