Before arriving in the Klang quarry, you can find a geological curiosity related to limestone that reveals something fascinating ... a petrifying source or Tuffière! But let’s start with the beginning.
What is a petrifying source
A petrifying source is formed by a chemical type of calcareous sedimentary rock called tuff limestone, formed by calcite, aragonite and limonite, widely used in construction, especially for ancient Rome.
This rock is composed of living organisms and the color that takes depends of the embedded oxides, ranging from white to brown through gray, yellow or red. It is common to find footprints of animals and plants.
Three of his most famous sources are Pamukkale in Turkey with its spectacular white, Hierve el Agua in Mexico and my favorite the Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park where you can find all the colors previously appointed.
The formation
The water that flows has previously circulated in groundwater in limestone. This water is thus highly charged with limestone, but also CO2, dissolved. Under the combined action of algae, agitation and other physico-chemical factors, limestone (calcium carbonate) precipitates. Most often, it imprisons plant debris, whose imprint will be kept, possibly for millions of years.
This precipitation follows this reaction:
When the water emerges from the rock, it suddenly loses carbon dioxide (CO2), which shifts the reaction towards the right, with limestone formation (CaCO3).
Sedimentary rock formed takes travertine name.
You are in front of the petrifying source of Klang. At the coordinates you can’t find any infoboard, in order to validate this Earthcache as a "found it" and add one smiley more, just read the description, answer the following questions and send them to me by messenger or email.
You can make your log just after sending me the answers.
1-. From where do the waters of this source come from?
2-. What kind of texture has the rock that surrounds this source?
3-. Is it easily friable?
4-. Knowing that the limestone deposit is about 5 mm per year, estimate the age of the source of the base back on the left side. |