Fascinating, 16" Calcite/Aragonite Stalactite Formation - China

Fascinating, Calcite/Aragonite Stalactite Formation - China #360497

Note: Because of its size and fragile state, this piece will ship via freight on a pallet or in a crate. Our website can’t automatically calculate freight charges, so shipping costs will be determined and billed after purchase. If you’d like a quote beforehand, please contact us prior to ordering.

This enormous stalactitic formation comprised of calcite and aragonite is part of a recent find in the stalactite mines near Wenshan City in the Yunnan Province of China. Displaying impressive natural architecture, the piece features cascading, elongated growths formed over millennia as mineral-rich water deposited crystalline layers. The surface shows subtle tones from creamy whites to warm honey hues.

Accompanied by a custom-crafted wood base that stabilizes and complements the specimen, it stands about 16" tall and presents as a striking sculptural centerpiece. This substantial example captures the quiet grandeur of cave formation processes, offering both scientific intrigue and aesthetic appeal.

Under shortwave UV light, the stalactites exhibit a vibrant white fluorescence.

Stalactites form when water, seeping through rock, reaches an opening such as a cave or tunnel. Once this mineral-rich water (calcite/aragonite in this case) precipitates out of the rock wall/ceiling, it leaves behind a crystal as the precipitate builds with each drop of water.

Stalagmites are likely to form from this process as those drops land on a cave floor, since the drops from the ceiling will still contain high mineral content. As long as water keeps flowing, it will continue to precipitate into stalactites and stalagmites.

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