Stalagmite

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Stalagmites may also refer to a type of fungus.

A stalagmite^[1] is a form that can be found on the ground in a cave. It rises from the floor of a limestone cave when mineralized solutions drip from the ceiling and deposits of calcium carbonate form columns on the ground. When the columns form on the ceiling of a cave instead, they are called stalactites.

Stalactites and stalagmites can also form on concrete ceilings and floors, but they form much more quickly on concrete than in the natural cave environment.

There are some ways people remember which formation hangs from the ceiling (stalactite) and which rises from the floor (stalagmite):

• Stalactite has a "c", as does "ceiling". Stalagmite has a "g", as does "ground".
• The T in stalactite looks like a letter T hanging from the ceiling, while the M in stalagmite looks like a formation rising from the floor.

Touring programs for caves with stalactites and stalagmites might ask guests not to touch the rock formations. This is because the formation is still be growing and forming. Since the rock buildup is formed by minerals solidifying out of the water solution, skin oils can disturb where the mineral water will cling. If skin touches the rock, the development of the rock formation will be affected and will not be natural anymore.

• Stalactite

1. ↑ from the Greek stalagma ("Σταλαγμίτης"), "drop" or "drip"

• The Virtual Cave: Stalagmites