Rare Stalagmites Found in North China

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 ◆ Rare Stalagmites Found in North China

Stalagmites, icicle-like deposits of calcium carbonate formed by dripping water, are usually found inside caves, but in the Mount Kongshan area in north China, many can be seen not only inside, but on the outside of the Baiyun (White Cloud) Cave. This rare scene in the Taihang Mountains in Lincheng County, north China's Hebei Province, has drawn the interest of local and overseas experts, some of whom have suggested there might have been a larger cave covering the existing one in the past. The cave, which is believed to have taken shape some 500 million years ago, has five large halls, of which the largest covers 2,740 square meters. The largest stalagmite is 10 meters in height and 2.3 meters in diameter. These interesting stalagmites may help study climatic and environmental changes in the area over the past hundreds of millions years, the experts noted. Stalagmites, which are formed out of the cave floor, are often accompanied by stalactites, which descend from the roof.