Caves formation :
For sure, water is the agent as regards cave formation : cave formation is firstly the meeting of water and roch wich creates underground galeries. In order to understand this long process, it’s important to forget time and to count in million of years and to know that limestone is a sedimentary rock.
The formation is first of all the work of erosion. The subterranean rivers which created the caves have now vanished. They were created at the end of the ice-age. The glaciers also have gone and as the rivers lacked of water, they disappeared living in their place percolating rainwater. By infiltration, started to create the formations.
View of the cave
Stalactites and stalagmites formations :
By this infiltration rainwater absorbs differents acids which have the ability to dissolve limestone. It solves and is changed into calcium carbonate (ca co3). The drop of water begins to form the stalactite. After an inderminate time the drop of water falls to the ground, leaving a second deposit, which form the stalagmite by accumulation. When stalactite and stalagmite join they create a column.
The speed of formation :
Is between 1 and 2 cm3 each century (about 1 sugar size !). It is obvious that several factors contribute to this rate of growth.
Colours :
The formations in this cave are especially colourful. The shades of ochre, red or yellow are organics maters. Grey is made by manganes oxid, white is pure calcite. Several green marks are mosses which have been formed with the heat and light from the lamps.