Stalagmite

Stalagmites may also refer to a type of fungus.

File:Witch's Finger, Main Corridor, Carlsbad Cavern (51336948311).jpg

The Witch's Finger in the Carlsbad Caverns

A stalagmite is a form that can be found on the ground in a cave. It rises from the floor of a limestone cave when mineralized solutions drip from the ceiling and deposits of calcium carbonate form columns on the ground. When the columns form on the ceiling of a cave instead, they are called stalactites.

Stalactites and stalagmites can also form on concrete ceilings and floors, but they form much more quickly on concrete than in the natural cave environment.

Stalagmites and stalactites

There are several methods to help remember which formation hangs from the ceiling (stalactite) and which rises from the floor (stalagmite):

• StalaCtite has a "c" for "ceiling".
• StalaGmite has a "g" for "ground".
• The T in StalacTite resembles one hanging from the ceiling, while the M in StalagMite resembles a formation rising from the floor.

Preservation

When touring caves with stalactites and stalagmites you might be asked to not touch the rock formations. This is generally because the formation is considered to still be growing and forming. Since the rock buildup is formed by minerals solidifying out of the water solution, skin oils can disturb where the mineral water will cling. So the development of the rock formation will be affected and not will not be natural anymore.

Related pages

• Stalactite

Other websites

• The Virtual Cave: Stalagmites

Stalagmite Media

• Image showing the six most common speleothems

• Calthemite stalagmite growing on a floor beneath a concrete structure

• Coves d'Artà 05.jpg

  Coves d’Artà, Mallorca, Spain

• Seven stars cave.JPG

  Seven-star Cave, Guilin, China

• Crayfish back.JPG

  A “crayfish back”, Jenolan Caves, New South Wales, Australia

• Castellana Grotte, Apulia, Italy