Deepening Darkness |
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Once you past the second entrance, the light dims quickly to
nearly total darkness as you continue to climb the caves
sloped floor. Soon the level of the floor is above the
top of the main entrance and you notice the temperature
change. Since we are here in the winter, you feel
strangely warm. There are a number of short side
passages and also passages around large support posts.
The left area of the cave at this level has a number of
fascinating surprises.
You probably learned in grade
school science class that it takes thousands and thousands of
years to form stalactites, stalagmites and stone curtains in a
cave by means of water depositing dissolved minerals.
These caves are not natural caves, but rather were constructed
as quarries less than 100 years ago. To discover rock
curtains, stalagmites and stalactites in such a
"young" cave seems impossible, but when you realize
that these formations are the result of water depositing
soluble iron rather than calcite, you begin to understand that
sometimes what we think is impossible is only so in our
limited understanding.
Iron and its compounds are much
more soluble than calcite, thus the dripping water is able to
carry more material than the limestone / calcite containing
water. Also, the exposure of the mineral laden water to
the air, causes a chemical reaction that precipitates the
minerals out of solution. The various colors that appear
are the result of various iron / oxide and sulfide
compounds. The purest forms are the darkest
colors. Those with greater non iron content provide the
reds and yellows. Most of the formations are very
fragile. After all, they are only made of rust.
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