Jewel Cave National Monument
On close inspection, most of the crystals in Jewel Cave are a variety of calcite (CaCO3) called dogtooth spar. Banded layers of crystalline calcite is called travertine or onyx. The crystals are not speleothems because they formed under water. The crystals precipitated from groundwater that was supersaturated relative to calcium carbonate [calcite].
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Last modified: 9/17/2009