Introduction to Cave Formations

Caves are a place that can have intriguing formations in them. Most water has calcite in it and it is the calcite in the water that drips in a cave that makes most cave formations. Caves are fragile paces that must be protected for future generations.

Stalactites are the icicles that hang from the ceiling of caves. Stalactites can be solid or hollow. Hollow stalactites are called soda straw stalactites. Soda straw stalactites are actually hollow all through the stalactite just like a drinking straw. It takes about one hundred years for a soda straw stalactite to grow one inch. Being that it takes that long for a soda straw stalactite to grow an inch makes them invaluable. Yet they are very fragile and can break at the slightest touch.

Stalagmites are the formations that grow on the cave floor. Stalagmites are usually formed from the drops of water that drip off the stalactites. After a drip of water has made it’s course down a stalactite it falls to the cave floor and starts to form a bump known as a stalagmite.

When a stalactite and a stalagmite touch each other then you have a pillar or a column. A pillar or column is a long stalactite that connects with the stalagmite below it forming what looks like a pillar or column.

When calcite drips along a cave wall forming a mass that looks a lot like a melted marshmallow it is called a flow stone. Flow stone is a deposit of calcite that has formed on the cave wall. It is shiny but rather rough to the touch. You should never touch a flow stone since the bacteria and dirt on you will destroy the formation.

Cave pearls are formed when small pebbles become encrusted with calcite giving the pebbles a pearly appearance. Cave pearls look like some lovely pearls on the cave floor.

If you are in a cave never touch any of the cave formations as you will destroy the formations. If a stalactite, stalagmite, cave pearl or flow stone gets dried out they turn brown and look like any brown rock. They crumble up into sand in time. If you pick a cave formation you will only have a brown substance when it dries up. Cave formations are very fragile and must be taken care of.

Exploring caves should never be done by amateurs. Leave cave exploring to the professionals. Caves can be intriguing yet dangerous. Caves can be full of dangerous gases, or if they are not sturdy they can cave in.