In this earthcache you will learn about and how to recognise Calthemites, urban calcium deposit structures similar to those found in caves.
Examine the surfaces in the Billing's arcade at the listed coordinates and answer the following earthscience tasks. Provide your answers to the cache owner in a timely manner, i.e. less than a fortnight.
1. What forms of calthemites you can see?
2. What colour are the calthemites? Why?
3. Is there equal distribution of calthemites throughout the arch? if not, why not?
Calthemites are stalactitelike excretions comprised of calcium deposits from concrete, mortar, and lime where water seeps through degrading concrete structures. Unlike stalactites, such formations are generally found in old, often abandoned, manmade structures rather than in cave environments.
Calthemites usually appear white in color, due to a high concentration of calcium carbonate, but can vary in color, depending on the substances it contains. Contamination may include, but are not limited to, rust, gypsum, dolomite, or copper.
Calthemites can appear in many forms, which are :
-Flowstones, which looks like a flowing river off calcium carbonate, this tends to be rippled.
-Straw Staligtites, which are long thin straw like structures.
-Staligmites, which are a build up of calcium carbonate on the floor, which gradually gain height.
-Rimstones, these form on the floor as a gradually sloping structure.