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UER Forum > Archived US: South > Cave Formations Not in Caves (Viewed 620 times)
corbenator 


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Cave Formations Not in Caves
< on 5/1/2009 3:08 AM >
Posted on Forum: Infiltration Forums
 
Has anyone ever encountered cave formations such as soda straws, stalactites and stalagmites... but that were growing in places other than caves? I was in a grain elevator today and water was dripping down through the cracks in the concrete above me, and I looked up to see this:



And then I look down and notice the mineral deposits on the floor from where the soda straws were dripping, which I believe to be the beginnings of stalagmites:



I mean, I guess it makes sense... there are minerals in concrete, right? I've just never actually seen these things growing outside of caves. Thoughts?

Also, if anyone knows, how long does it typically take for soda straws to reach a length of 1.5 to 2 inches?

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SilentSearch 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 1 on 5/1/2009 3:17 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Seen quite a few in drains.
Not suprising you found some in an abandoned concrete structure as well.

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Ardamass 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 2 on 5/1/2009 3:51 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
See them all the time in drains

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corbenator 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 3 on 5/1/2009 3:53 AM >
Posted on Forum: Infiltration Forums
 
Guess I should start exploring drains...

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Ardamass 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 4 on 5/1/2009 3:56 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by corbenator
Guess I should start exploring drains...


Oh yeah and fort worth has some great drains

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Marost 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 5 on 5/1/2009 5:07 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Among the many, many drains in Dallas, I can thing of two that some pretty awesome stalactite/ stalagmite/ soda-straw/ flow-stone formations..... if you squint your eyes you can pretend that your in a real cave. DFW drains are worth hitting up (esp when it starts getting hot out).

Banditt 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 6 on 5/1/2009 5:16 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
A 4 footer in a toronto drain...



-Edited for thumbnail to full image...

[last edit 5/1/2009 5:21 AM by Banditt - edited 1 times]

FLICKR
RobertB 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 7 on 5/1/2009 7:52 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I have some pictures of some awesome soda straws in suburban Dallas drains that are somewhere around 15 years old. But my point-and-shoot camera does a crappy job of showing the details (plus, I'm supposed to be working, hi boss!).

At first, it had me wondering about the spiel you always hear when visiting a natural cave -- "these formations took a million years to form, so DON'T F'IN TOUCH THEM." If you can get a two-foot perfect soda straw in a storm drain in less than 20 years, what's the big deal? But as someone pointed out to me (can't remember who, but I'm sure it was one of y'all), the chemistry of a slab of concrete is radically different from that of a layer of limestone, so there's probably no direct comparison.

But it's still awesome to see the process, even if it's speeded up by a few orders of magnitude. The flowstone in Rat Race is awesome, especially in the blocked drains. Just enough water flows through to carry minerals, and the bricks used to block the drain have become covered in sewer-onyx.

hey, "sewer-onyx" has a cool sound to it. remember, you heard it here first.

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altaria 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 8 on 5/1/2009 8:06 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Although the formations look the same, and they're formed through more or less the same process, the makeup of the materials is vastly different. Cement is generally made at least partly out of limestone, but by the time the limestone makes it into cement it's been baked at several hundred degrees and mixed with a bunch of other minerals. The minerals it is mixed with probably accelerate the process quite a bit, and change the composition of the formations themselves. I know that the formations in caves are fairly fragile and very susceptible to the oils on our skin, but I don't know about the formations in the drains. They could be more fragile, or they may even be hardier based upon the minerals present in the drains.

There are a lot of minerals that can form these formations, but as for the actual same mineral makeup of the formations you'll see in caves, I believe that they really do need to be in the cave because of the environmental factors that play into their formation (temperature, humidity, etc)

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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 9 on 5/1/2009 10:23 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
yeah I have some pics of those too

took them with the first digital camera ever made


136504.jpg (36 kb, 470x431)
click to view


the very first one!

of course that was 1975 and there wasnt any Internet so yeah . . .

micro 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 10 on 5/1/2009 10:28 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 


Here's what can happen over the course of 125 years from the calcite leeching out of portland cement.
[last edit 5/1/2009 10:32 PM by micro - edited 1 times]

musket boy 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 11 on 5/1/2009 10:29 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
i have never seen cave formations anywhere ever, and i have never been in a drain

uering
corbenator 


Location: Cowtown, TX
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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 12 on 5/1/2009 10:40 PM >
Posted on Forum: Infiltration Forums
 
Posted by 2Xplorations
yeah I have some pics of those too

took them with the first digital camera ever made


136504.jpg (36 kb, 470x431)
click to view


the very first one!

of course that was 1975 and there wasnt any Internet so yeah . . .


Hahaha wow. Simply based on the kind of technology we're used to seeing these days, that thing looks like some kind of sci-fi prop put together for some cheesy space flick (i.e. Space Mutiny, for any of you who were Mystery Science Theater 3000 regulars). I am amused. Thanks for that.

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altaria 


Location: Austin, TX
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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 13 on 5/2/2009 12:55 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by micro
http://www.undermo...ice_snotsicles.jpg

Here's what can happen over the course of 125 years from the calcite leeching out of portland cement.


Oooooh that's super cool looking!

corbenator 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 14 on 5/2/2009 7:24 AM >
Posted on Forum: Infiltration Forums
 
AGREED.

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Barry Kooda 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 15 on 5/2/2009 8:46 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by musket boy
i have never seen cave formations anywhere ever, and i have never been in a drain


MEEEEEEEE Neither!

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Insitor 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 16 on 5/2/2009 10:22 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by musket boy
i have never seen cave formations anywhere ever, and i have never been in a drain


You should get out more then! ;)

muskratwombat 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 17 on 5/2/2009 11:49 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 




It was raining today and the whole place was dripping when I shot these. Any idea what's up with the things in the bottom one? They were about 4 inches in diameter.

Barry Kooda 


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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 18 on 5/3/2009 12:22 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by Insitor


You should get out more then! ;)


You mean get IN more?

I'm a blatant waste of time and resources.
Barry Kooda 


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Trees

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Re: Cave Formations Not in Caves
<Reply # 19 on 5/3/2009 12:22 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by micro
http://www.undermo...ice_snotsicles.jpg

Here's what can happen over the course of 125 years from the calcite leeching out of portland cement.


I love that shot.

I'm a blatant waste of time and resources.
UER Forum > Archived US: South > Cave Formations Not in Caves (Viewed 620 times)
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