| Title | Cryomineral formations from Koungur ice cave (Russia) |
| Author | Andreychouk, V.N. |
| Author Affil | Andreychouk, V.N., University of Silesia, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Sosnowiec, Poland |
| Source | Proceedings of the International Congress of Speleology, Vol.15(Vol. 1), p.277- 282, ; 15th international congress of speleology, Kerrville, TX, July 19-26, 2009, edited by W.B. White. Publisher: International Union of Speleology, [location varies], United States. ISSN: 0731- 3136 |
| Publication Date | 2009 |
| Notes | In English. 13 refs. GeoRef Acc. No: 300137 |
| Index Terms | caves; ice; ice caves; Russia--Central Urals; Russia--Sverdlovsk; calcite; carbonates; celestine; Central Urals; Commonwealth of Independent States; cryominerals; crystal form; crystallization; deposition; framework silicates; gypsum; infiltration; Koungar ice cave; mineral assemblages; mineral composition; petrography; precipitation; quartz; Russian Federation; SEM data; silica minerals; silicates; sulfates; Sverdlovsk Russian Federation; Urals |
| Abstract | Cave mineralogy problems have been widely described in the literature (Hill and Forti, 1997). However, there are some "gaps" in this knowledge. One of them is mineralogy of cave ice, the question about minerals (salts, admixtures) present in ice, their origin (cryonineragenesis), morphology, etc. The ideal objects for such investigations are ice caves containing long-lasting/permanent ice formations. During the infiltration of water (with high TDS content) into caves and during its freezing, the process of crystallization of different minerals (cryominerals) in the freezing water occurs. The author carried out detailed cryomineralogical investigations in Koungur Ice Cave, Ural Mountains (Russia). The investigations of the cryomineral material from ice covers using SEM revealed that during freezing (crystallisation) of ice in the contracting structural cells between the ice crystals the following minerals crystallize: gypsum (96-99% of volume mass), celestine (1-5%), calcite (1-3%) and quartz (‹1%). The crystals of all minerals are well developed and show specific crystallographic forms. During ice melting or evaporation (sublimation), its mineral components "get free" and deposit at the foot of underground covers creating considerably thick (10-20 cm) layers and conglomerations of white powder similar to flour. Under the influence of humid air, a secondary crystallization of flour deposit occurs and mineral aggregates develop. |
| Publication Type | conference paper or compendium article |
| Record ID | 64004783 |