Geology and Minerals

Calthemite

Calthemite is a secondary deposit, derived from concrete, lime, mortar or other calcareous material outside the cave environment. Calthemites grow on or under man-made structures and mimic the shapes and forms of cave speleothems, such as stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone etc. Calthemite is derived from the Latin calx (genitive calcis) "lime" + Latin < Greek théma, "deposit" meaning ‘something laid down’, (also Mediaeval Latin thema, "deposit") and the Latin –ita < Greek -itēs – used as a suffix indicating a mineral or rock. The term "speleothem", due to its definition (spēlaion "cave" + théma "deposit" in ancient Greek) can only be used to describe secondary deposits in caves and does not include secondary deposits outside the cave environment.

Also on this shelf

See also

• ▸Jocotitlán (volcano)
• ▸Foot binding
• ▸Barren Island (Andaman Islands)

Uncatalogued shelf

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