Solutional Cave

geology · caves · water power

Water dissolves rock. Solutional caves form when rainwater seeps through soil and becomes slightly acidic. This weak acid slowly dissolves soluble rocks like limestone, which is made of calcium carbonate, creating hollow passages and chambers underground.

Limestone is champion. While solutional caves can form in chalk, dolomite, marble, salt, and gypsum, limestone is by far the most common because it dissolves more easily than other rocks. This is why you'll find the biggest and most impressive solutional caves in limestone regions around the world.

Ancient art project. These caves take millions of years to form as water slowly eats away at the rock grain by grain. What starts as tiny cracks eventually becomes magnificent underground rooms and passages that can stretch for miles.

Stunning formations inside. As water drips through solutional caves, it can create stalactites hanging from the ceiling and stalagmites growing from the floor. These icy-looking formations happen when mineral-rich water leaves behind deposits as it drips and evaporates.

Most caves are this type. Solutional caves are the most common kind of cave on Earth, making them nature's most popular underground home for bats, blind fish, and other amazing creatures.