Travertine - composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and therefore, also technically a carbonate rock; travertine forms in caves and around hot springs. When the groundwaters that contain calcium bicarbonate, rich in minerals and hot under hydrostatic pressure exposed to surface through a fracture or reach to a cavity like cave, they lose pressure on them. The dissolved CO2 in these waters is released to the atmosphere--as a shaken can of soda fizzes when opened-- and precipitating solid calcite, thus travertine forms.
Thursday, 14 June 2007
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