Abstract
The secondary minerals from Iza Cave result from the interactions of karst water and/or cave atmosphere over a variety of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. The cave passages expose at various extents Eocene limestones and conglomerates, Oligocene black shales, Upper Precambrian micaschists, marble and dolomitic marble and associated ore deposits.
Twelve secondary minerals identified in the cave (carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, oxides and hydroxides, and silicates) are presented in this study. Calcite, aragonite, gypsum, brushite and hydroxylapatite are the components of common speleothems in the limestone, dolomite and conglomerate areas of the cave. Ankerite crusts are related to areas with pyrite mineralization within the metamorphic carbonate rocks. Goethite, jarosite, hematite and gypsum form various speleothems in the sectors within micaschists and conglomerates. Large weathering deposits occurring in passage areas developed within micaschists consist of illite, kaolinite, jarosite, goethite, gypsum and alunite. The extent of the weathering deposits occurring on non-karst rocks in the underground environment makes this cave a particularly interesting site for studies of water-rock interactions.
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.40.2.9
Recommended Citation
Tămaş, Tudor; Ferenc Kristály; and Lucian Barbu-Tudoran.
2011.
Mineralogy of Iza Cave (Rodnei Mountains, N. Romania).
International Journal of Speleology,
40: 171-179.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/ijs/vol40/iss2/10
