"latter is especially evident in day-to-day life of people who have hard water. Water in aquifers underground can be exposed to levels of CO much higher than atmospheric. As such water percolates through calcium carbonate rock, the CaCO dissolves according to the second trend. When that same water then emerges from the tap, in time it comes into equilibrium with CO levels in the air by outgassing its excess CO. The calcium carbonate becomes less soluble as a result and the excess precipitates as lime scale. This same process is responsible for the formation of stalactites and stalagmites in limestone"
"Stalagmite A stalagmite ( or ; from the Greek - ', from - ', ""dropping, trickling"") is a type of rock formation that rises from the floor of a cave due to the accumulation of material deposited on the floor from ceiling drippings. Stalagmites may be composed of lava, minerals, mud, peat, pitch, sand, sinter and amberat (crystallized urine of pack rats). The corresponding formation hanging down from the ceiling of a cave is a stalactite. Mnemonics have been developed for which word refers to which type of formation; one is that ""stalactite"" has a C for ""ceiling"", and ""stalagmite"""
"cone-shaped masses that form on cave floors, usually directly below stalactites. These structures form when acidic groundwater with a high concentration of dissolved calcite drips slowly from the ceiling of an air-filled cave, becomes less acidic, and leaves some of its calcite behind as a solid precipitate. Oregon Caves includes a variety of cave formations created through precipitation of calcite. Although many of the speleothems in the public sections of the cave have been broken, discolored by human skin oils, or otherwise damaged, the narrow twisting passages of the ""show cave"" have been largely preserved. The cave is not pure"
"matter, in the formation of the caves themselves. As water containing carbon dioxide (including extra CO acquired from soil organisms) passes through limestone or other calcium carbonate-containing minerals, it dissolves part of the calcium carbonate, hence becomes richer in bicarbonate. As the groundwater enters the cave, the excess carbon dioxide is released from the solution of the bicarbonate, causing the much less soluble calcium carbonate to be deposited. In the reverse process, dissolved carbon dioxide (CO) in rainwater (HO) reacts with limestone calcium carbonate (CaCO) to form soluble calcium bicarbonate (Ca(HCO)). This soluble compound is then washed away with the"
"created the natural entrance to the Carlsbad Caverns within the last million years. Exposure to the surface has allowed for the influx of air into the cavern. Rainwater and snowmelt percolating downward into the ground pick up carbon dioxide; once this water reaches a cavern ceiling, it precipitates and evaporates, leaving behind a small calcium carbonate deposit. Growths from the roof downward formed through this process are known as stalactites. Additionally, water on the floor of the caverns can contain carbonic acid and generate mineral deposits by evaporation. Growths from the floor upward through this process are known as stalagmites."
"and water that entered into the cracks in the limestone and created large underground spaces. The second was warm mineral water coming up from depths of up to . The aragonite and calcite in the cave is formed mainly by calcium carbonate. This can crystallize in three ways. The first is the mineral calcite, which is the most common and consists of cave fillings, such as stalactites, stalagmites, sinter deposits and valances. There are geyser stalagmites that are conical in shape and several tens of centimeters high. These are not found anywhere else in the world. The second type of"
"degradation, where calcium ions are leached out of the concrete in solution and redeposited on the underside of a concrete structure to form stalactites and stalagmites. Calcium carbonate deposition as a stalagmite occurs when the solution carries the calcium laden leachate solution to the ground under the concrete structure. Carbon dioxide is absorbed into the alkaline leachate solution, which facilitates the chemical reactions to deposit calcium carbonate as a stalagmite. These stalagmites rarely grow taller than a few centimetres. Secondary deposits, which create stalagmites, stalactites, flowstone etc., outside the natural cave environment, are referred to as “calthemites”. These concrete derived"
"created in caves. The micro rafts which form on the surface of hyperalkaline leachate solution drips are typically about 0.5 mm in size when visible to the naked eye, and appear on the drip’s surface after it has been suspended for greater than ≈5 minutes. The chemical reaction which creates the rafts, involves carbon dioxide (CO) being absorbed (diffusing) into solution from the atmosphere and calcium carbonate (CaCO) precipitates as rafts or deposited as a stalagmite, stalactite or flowstone. This chemistry is very different to that which creates speleothems in caves. Internal water pulses from the straw (into the drop)"
"(also known as popcorn), can form on the underside of concrete structures and look very similar to those which occurs in caves. Coralloids can form by a number of different methods in caves, however on concrete the most common form is created when hyperalkaline solution seeps from fine cracks in concrete. Due to solution evaporation, deposition of calcium carbonate occurs before any drop can form. The resulting coralloids are small and chalky with a cauliflower appearance. Calthemite Calthemite is a secondary deposit, derived from concrete, lime, mortar or other calcareous material ""outside the cave environment"". Calthemites grow on or under,"
"reaction at the time) to the underside of the structure where leachate solution contacts the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide (CO) from the atmosphere readily diffuses into the leachate and causes a chemical reaction, which precipitates (deposits) calcium carbonate (CaCO) on the outside of the concrete structure. Consisting primarily of CaCO this secondary deposit derived from concrete is known as ""calthemite"" and can mimic the shapes and forms of cave ""speleothems"", such as stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone etc. Other trace elements such as iron from rusting reinforcing may be transported and deposited by the leachate at the same time as the CaCO. This"
"structures, these secondary deposits are the result of concrete degradation, when calcium ions have been leached from the concrete in solution and redeposited on the structure's surface to form flowstone, stalactites and stalagmites. Carbon dioxide (CO) is absorbed into the hyperalkaline leachate solution as it emerges from the concrete. This facilitates the chemical reactions which deposits calcium carbonate (CaCO) on vertical or sloping surfaces, in the form of flowstone. Concrete derived secondary deposits are classified as ""calthemites"". These calcium carbonate deposits mimic the forms and shapes of speleothems, created in caves. e.g. stalagmites, stalactites, flowstone etc. It is most likely"
"lime or mortar. These secondary deposits consisting primarily of calcium carbonate, are called calthemites and mimics the shapes and forms of cave speleothems to create stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone and gours. Gours form beneath concrete structures on a floor with a gradual sloping surface or on the side of rounded stalagmites derived from concrete. Most of the calcium carbonate carried by the leachate is deposited as stalactites (when the drop rate is slower than one drop per minute), leaving little in solution to be carried to the ground to create stalagmites, flowstone and gours. The leachate which does reaching the ground,"
"a hyperalkaline solution seeps from fine cracks in concrete. Due to solution evaporation, deposition of calcium carbonate occurs before any drop can form. The resulting coralloids are small and chalky with a cauliflower appearance. Cave popcorn Cave popcorn, or coralloids, are small nodes of calcite, aragonite or gypsum that form on surfaces in caves, especially limestone caves. They are a common type of speleothem. The individual nodules of cave popcorn range in size from 5 to 20 mm and may be decorated by other speleothems, especially aragonite needles or frostwork. The nodules tend to grow in clusters on bedrock or"
"calc-silicate bands, some of brown mica and others with calcite. The Gosthani River, which originates from these caves and flows between the solidified stalactites and stalagmites in the karstic limestones formation, is the cause for the development of the odd shapes of structures. Water percolating from the roof of the caves dissolve limestone and trickle drop by drop to form stalactites at the roof of the cave and then dripping down to the ground form stalagmites. These deposits have developed into interesting forms and structures inside the caves such as Shiva–Parvati, Mother–Child, Rishi’s beard, human brain, mushrooms, crocodile, temple, church,"
"structure where it is suspended in the air, for example, on a ceiling or a beam. When the solution comes into contact with air on the underside of the concrete structure, another chemical reaction takes place. The solution reacts with carbon dioxide in the air and precipitates calcium carbonate. When this solution drops down it leaves behind particles of calcium carbonate and over time these form into a stalactite. They are normally a few centimeters long and with a diameter of approximately . The growth rate of stalactites is significantly influenced by supply continuity of saturated solution and the drip"
"bedrock or detritus, and/or deposited because of a unique set of conditions in a cave; i.e., the cave environment has influenced the mineral's deposition. 319 variations of cave mineral deposits have been identified. The vast majority of speleothems are calcareous, composed of calcium carbonate in the form of calcite or aragonite, or calcium sulfate in the form of gypsum. Calcareous speleothems form via carbonate dissolution reactions. Rainwater in the soil zone reacts with soil CO to create weakly acidic water via the reaction: As the lower pH water travels through the calcium carbonate bedrock from the surface to the cave"
"is that it was formed by a weak carbonic acid solution formed from rainwater and snowmelt that mixed with biogenic carbon dioxide found in the topsoil, which then infiltrated existing joints and fractures in the bedrock, expanding them into the openings that make up the cave’s passageways. Some have advanced that the cave's formation is actually hypogenic in origin. The cave contains a variety of formations, mostly concentrated in the southeast portion of the cave, where conditions are optimal for their growth. The speleothems present in the cave take a number of forms, most commonly stalactites (including the variant known"
"has a G for ""ground"". The most common stalagmites are speleothems, which usually form in limestone caves. Stalagmite formation occurs only under certain pH conditions within the underground cavern. They form through deposition of calcium carbonate and other minerals, which is precipitated from mineralized water solutions. Limestone is the chief form of calcium carbonate rock, which is dissolved by water that contains carbon dioxide, forming a calcium bicarbonate solution in underground caverns. The partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the water must be greater than the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the cave chamber for conventional stalagmite growth. If"
"Stalactite A stalactite (, ; from the Greek ""stalasso"", (σταλάσσω), ""to drip"", and meaning ""that which drips"") is a type of formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or manmade structures such as bridges and mines. Any material that is soluble, can be deposited as a colloid, or is in suspension, or is capable of being melted, may form a stalactite. Stalactites may be composed of lava, minerals, mud, peat, pitch, sand, sinter, and amberat (crystallized urine of pack rats). A stalactite is not necessarily a speleothem, though speleothems are the most common form of stalactite because"
"the atmosphere on the underside of the structure, where carbon dioxide (CO) from the surrounding air facilitates the reactions to deposit calcium carbonate as a secondary deposit. CO is the reactant (diffuses into solution) as opposed to speleothem chemistry where CO is the product (degassed from solution). It is most likely that the majority of calcium carbonate (CaCO) creating calthemites in shapes which, mimicking speleothems, is precipitated from solution as calcite as opposed to the other, less stable, polymorphs of aragonite and vaterite. Calthemites are generally composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO) which is predominantly coloured white, but may be coloured"
"In the right conditions, evaporative cave popcorn may grow on the windward side of the surface to which it is attached or appear on the edges of projecting surfaces. Popcorn can also occur on concrete structures outside the cave environment; these are classified as calthemite coralloids. Calthemite coralloids also occur in ""artificial caves"" such as mines or railway or vehicle tunnels were there is a source of lime, mortar or cement from which the calcium ions can be leached. Coralloids can form by a number of different methods in caves; however, on concrete the most common form is created when"
"in Kentucky. As with other limestone or ""solution"" caves, formations at Luray Caverns result from a solution of calcium carbonate giving up some of its carbon dioxide, thus allowing a precipitation of lime to form. This precipitation begins as a thin deposit ring of crystallized calcite, but continues to collect, creating stalactites and other types of dripstone and flowstone. Formations at Luray Caverns are white in color if the calcium carbonate is in its pure form. Other colors reflect impurities in the calcite resulting from elements absorbed from the soil or rock layers: Reds and yellows due to iron and"
"room in the caverns because of its variety of colors and formations. There are examples of every type of formation in the cave: iron oxide formations; manganese dioxide formations; calcite formations: stalactites, stalagmites, columns, flowstone, soda straws, and helictites; and Dual Formations. Dual Formations are extremely rare. The Ohio Caverns is the only known cave in North America and one of very few in the world known to have Dual Formations. A Dual Formation is characterized as being a formation growing on another formation. In the Palace of the Gods, there are calcite stalactites growing on the ends of iron"
"the temperature and humidity content of a cave, air currents, the above ground climate, the amount of annual rainfall and the density of the plant cover. Most cave chemistry revolves around calcium carbonate (CaCO), the primary mineral in limestone and dolomite. It is a slightly soluble mineral whose solubility increases with the introduction of carbon dioxide (CO). It is paradoxical in that its solubility decreases as the temperature increases, unlike the vast majority of dissolved solids. This decrease is due to interactions with the carbon dioxide, whose solubility is diminished by elevated temperatures; as the carbon dioxide is released, the"
"calcium carbonite is aragonite. This forms white needle-like crystals. Water and carbon dioxide are released. Vaterite, the third and rare form of calcium carbonate is not present. The area is drained by the Bečvou River, which flows into the Morava River. When durable and heavy rainfall raises the water level it can cause the river to overflow, and flood the caves. The most devastating floods in Moravia occurred in 1997 from July 5 to 16. The flood waters entered the cave and into the last dry space (Marble Hall). This raised the levels of mineral pools and led to a"
"as it was deposited when it was below sea level. The Lookout Mountain Caverns, which includes Ruby Falls Cave, is a limestone cave. These caves occur when slightly acidic groundwater enters subterranean streams and slowly dissolves the relatively soluble limestone, causing narrow cracks to widen into passages and caves in a process called chemical weathering. The stream which makes up the Falls entered the cave sometime after its formation. Ruby Falls Cave features many of the more well-known types of cave formations (or speleothems) including stalactites and stalagmites, columns, drapery, and flowstone. The Falls are located at the end of"
"in solution by infiltrating rain water, that had penetrated all the overhanging layers of the rock by a very slow seepage. When the water drips through the roof of an empty cavern, the calcite dissolved in it deposits on the roof and going downwards takes the shape of a stalactite. When the drop of water falls on the floor, the calcite takes the shape of a stalagmite. As time went by, the downwards extension of a stalactite and the progressive growth of the below stalagmite led to the formation of a column. Besides this elementary forms, there is a great"
"Speleogenesis Speleogenesis is the origin and development of caves, the primary process that determines essential features of the hydrogeology of karst and guides its evolution. It often deals with the development of caves through limestone, caused by the presence of water with carbon dioxide dissolved within it, producing carbonic acid which permits the dissociation of the calcium carbonate in the limestone. The majority of limestone caves are created by calcium carbonate dissolution by the solvent action of meteoric waters circulating through the rock. In the presence of carbon dioxide saturated water, calcium carbonate reacts to form the soluble calcium bicarbonate."
"Scanning electron micrographs confirmed that the shape of the crystalline material was rhombohedral, which is consistent with calcite crystal formation. While the floating material was not toxic, it was recommended that movement of the water surface be induced so that quiescent conditions would be avoided which would eliminate the primary condition for calcite raft formation. Micro calcite rafts have been observed on (soda) straw stalactites solution drops suspended beneath concrete structures. These secondary deposits which form outside the cave environment, are known as calthemites. They are derived from concrete, lime or mortar, and mimic the shapes and forms of speleothems"
"ceiling, it dissolves the bedrock via the reaction: When the solution reaches a cave, degassing due to lower cave pCO drives precipitation of CaCO: Over time the accumulation of these precipitates form stalagmites, stalactites, and flowstones, which compose the major categories of speleothems. Calthemites which occur on concrete structures, are created by completely different chemistry to speleothems. Speleothems take various forms, depending on whether the water drips, seeps, condenses, flows, or ponds. Many speleothems are named for their resemblance to man-made or natural objects. Types of speleothems include: Speleothems made of sulfates, carbonates, mirabilite or opal occur in some lava"
"a weak carbonic acid, which leaches calcium carbonate (CaCO) from within the concrete structure and carries it to the underside of the structure. When it contacts the atmosphere, carbon dioxide is degasses and calcium carbonate is precipitated to create calthemite deposits, which mimic the shapes and forms of speleothems. This degassing chemistry is not common in concrete structures as the leachate can often find new paths through the concrete to access free calcium hydroxide and this reverts the chemistry to that previously mentioned where CO is the reactant. Concrete exposed to seawater is susceptible to its corrosive effects. The effects"
"terrain abruptly drops down towards shoreline that lies some 34,5 meters below the cave entrance. The talus, which primarily consists of Middle Stone Age deposit, rock fall and unconsolidated sediments, is stabilised by an area of large, exposed blocks (14m²). At some stage - and in between the prehistoric occupation of the cave site - these blocks have fallen down from the rock face above, effectively preventing site erosion and allowing sediments to stabilize and accumulate in front of the cave's drip line. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) rich ground water seeps in from the cave roof and percolates through the interior"
"“acicular” (needle-like) and often branch out as they grow. They usually grow downward from a cave's ceiling. Aragonite crystals are contrasted with those made of calcite (another variety of calcium carbonate) in that the latter tend to be stubby or dog-tooth-like (“rhombohedral”, rather than acicular). Anthodites often have a solid core of aragonite and may have huntite or hydromagnesite deposited near the ends of the branches. Anthodite crystals vary in size from less than a millimeter to about a meter, but are commonly between 1 and 20 millimeters in length. Anthodites may occur sporadically throughout some limestone caves, but may"