| POOL SPAR |
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HOW DOES IT FORM? Pool spar is calcite or gypsum that has crystallized under water in a cave. This happens when the water is stable and remains for a long time. WHERE IS IT FOUND? Pool spar is always found where there has been a stable pool of water for a long time in a cave. Even if water is not currently present, you can see where the water level was, based on where the spar is located. The top photo shows calcite pool spar on the end of a stalactite that dipped into a pool. In the bottom photo you can easily see the water level by the straight edge on the spar. Both photos were taken in Black Chasm Cave. HOW ARE THEY IDENTIFIED? Pool spar has distinctive, big, clear crystals, like the photos on the left. |
| For more detailed information on speleothem formation, go to our Cavern Geology lesson plan's section on speleothems by clicking HERE. © 2006 Sierra Nevada Recreation Corporation. All rights reserved. |
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