Chinanews, Beijing, Apr.18 – According to Guangming Daily, China’s largest mud volcano, the Baiyang mud volcano in Wusu of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has been destroyed. Some other volcanoes there have ceased to erupt.

 

Some 90 mud volcano sites were discovered in Xinjiang in September 2002. At that time there were 40 of them still erupting mud, the largest one being 22 meters wide. Gas sent by these volcanoes can easily flare up. Experts believe that they constitute China’s largest mud volcano cluster.

 

Mud volcano is considered as one of the most wonderful natural sights in the world. It is only found in U.S., Russia and Mexico, apart from China. Taiwan Province has some 20 mud volcanoes, but they can’t compare with the volcanoes in Xinjiang.

 

It is reported that mud volcanoes in Xinjiang contain many kinds of mineral elements like beryllium, barium, cuprum and zinc, which are all beneficial to people healthier. These volcanoes attract many tourists. In 2006, tens of thousands of people visited the place, and a third of them took away the volcano emission materials. Such bad behaviors have seriously affected the survival of the volcanoes.