Cave and Karst Science vol.22 no.2 / Oct 1995: 53-90. (maps. photos. surveys).
This was the latest in a collaborative expedition involving British speleologists and karst scientists from the Institute of Karst Geology in Guilin. This paper presents the results of exploration in four study areas within Sichuan Province and 13.5 km of cave passages were surveyed. The Xio Zhai Tien Ken to Mie Gong He Dong cave system, a 4.5 km through trip, is the deepest cave in China at -964 m and the Xio Zhai Tien Ken doline is probably the largest doline in the world at 135.3 million cubic metres (both Xin Long area). Xin Lou Kou dong (Jiang Kou area) is -215 m deep; Lungci dong (Ba Xian area) has a length of 1.08 km. Hydrology and cave development are discussed and there is a brief note on cave conservation. (AUTHORS; RM; RB).