Calcite (Inventory)/Helictite/beaded

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Revision as of 12:24, 18 November 2013

Beaded helictites

The beaded field of the Calcite Helictite section should record stations that exhibit beaded helictites.

Like rosary beads on a string, beaded helictites are distinguished from other helictites by small (0.5 to 2mm) diameter beads or bumps on the branches.

Beaded helictites usually appear as fine, branching helictites, white in color. The beads may appear on only a few or all of the branches. These beads are believed to be caused by periodic changes in growth rate. Even though beaded helictites appear in the calcite section of the CCNP Cave Inventory Form they are usually composed of aragonite but can be a mixture of minerals even on the same branch. The branches may be coated with later deposits of calcite making the beads appear less like beads and more like bumps.

See also

• antler helictite
• snake dancer helictite
• subaqueous helictite
• other helictite

References

• Hill, Carol; Paolo Forti (1997) Cave Minerals of the World (Second Edition ed.) National Speleological Society pp 76-77, 145-146 ISBN: 1-879961-07-5
• Palmer, Arthur N. (2007) Cave Geology CAVE BOOKS, Dayton, OH p 285 ISBN-13: 978-0-939748-66-2, ISBN-10: 0-939748-66-5

Beaded helictites