page_title: Zbrašov aragonite caves
section_title: Geology
hierarchical_section_title: Zbrašov aragonite caves / Natural Features / Geology
caption_attribution_description: Čeština: Opona
context_page_description: The Zbrašov aragonite caves are a protected area in the Přerov District, Czech Republic, that were proclaimed as a National Natural Landmark to protect important hydrothermal karst areas of Europe. They include the aragonite caves as well as the surrounding forests. Discovered in 1912 and opened for the public in 1926, the caves were created by both surface water and underground mineral water springs rich in carbon dioxide that are used in spas in the nearby village and spa resort of Teplice nad Bečvou.
  The caves are filled with formations of stalagmite and aragonite that resemble geysers and doughnuts, and the bottom levels of the cave are filled with carbon dioxide. The temperature stays around 14 °C throughout the year, and the caves are the warmest underground places in the Czech Republic.
context_section_description: The geology of the area is made up of large blocks of rock. Valleys are short and form along the fault lines between these blocks. There is a layer of Devonian limestone more than 500 m (1,600 ft) thick. This is covered with a younger layer of Miocene sediments.
  According to the geomorphological structure of the Czech Republic these small-scale specially protected territories are a part of the Maleník section of the Silesian-Moravian Foothills. Maleník is a rugged highland composed of culm greywacke, sandstones and shales, Devonian limestones and Miocene sediments. The highland is characterized as a cutting horst dipping to the SE with internal block structure. Valleys are short, mostly based on fault lines.
  The caves developed from two completely different karst processes. The first was corrosion of surface and water that entered into the cracks in the limestone and created large underground spaces. The second was warm mineral water coming up from depths of up to 2 km (1.2 mi). The aragonite and calcite in the cave is formed mainly by calcium carbonate. This can crystallize in three ways. The first is the mineral calcite, which is the most common and consists of cave fillings, such as stalactites, stalagmites, sinter deposits and valances. There are geyser stalagmites that are conical in shape and several tens of centimeters high. These are not found anywhere else in the world. The second type of calcium carbonite is aragonite. This forms white needle-like crystals. Water and carbon dioxide are released. Vaterite, the third and rare form of calcium carbonate is not present.
caption: Curtain with aragonite and calcite
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