File:Flowstone-covered stalagmite (Skyline Caverns, Front Royal, Virginia, USA) 2 (27236794623).jpg

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Flowstone-covered stalagmite in a cave in Virginia, USA.

"Cave formations" in caves are technically called speleothem. Most speleothem is composed of travertine, a crystalline-textured chemical sedimentary rock composed of calcite (CaCO3). Travertine forms in most caves and at some springs by precipitation of crystals from water. Travertine speleothem occurs in a wide variety of forms. The most common variety of travertine speleothem is dripstone, which forms by the action of dripping water. Downward-tapering dripstone structures attached to cave ceilings or upper walls are called stalactites. The corresponding structures on cave floors are called stalagmites. When grown together, they form columns.

The stalagmite shown above is covered with flowstone, the second-most common type of travertine speleothem. Flowstone forms by precipitation of crystals from relatively thin films of flowing water.

Pure travertine is white. The colors seen in the travertine shown above are from iron oxides.

Skyline Caverns is developed in structurally tilted carbonates (mixed dolostones and limestones) of the Rockdale Run Formation (Beekmantown Group, Lower Ordovician).

Locality: Skyline Caverns, Front Royal, central Warren County, northern Virginia, USA
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Source Flowstone-covered stalagmite (Skyline Caverns, Front Royal, Virginia, USA) 2
Author James St. John

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This image was originally posted to Flickr by James St. John at https://flickr.com/photos/47445767@N05/27236794623 (archive). It was reviewed on 31 August 2019 by FlickreviewR 2 and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

31 August 2019

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current19:18, 31 August 2019Thumbnail for version as of 19:18, 31 August 20192,552 × 3,999 (3.21 MB)LittleT889 (talk | contribs)Transferred from Flickr via #flickr2commons

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