You are a US citizen and: 1  You are a first time applicant age 18 or older. 2  OR your most recent U.S. Passport was issued when you were under age 16. 3  OR your previous U.S. passport was issued more than 15 years ago.
Cave formations are called speleothem, from the Greek word spelaion, cave and thema meaning deposit. Almost all of them are made of calcite, the crystal of calcium carbonate. Different minerals and different movements in the water account for an incredible variety of cave formations.
A simple classification of caves includes four main types and several other relatively less important types. Solution caves are formed in carbonate and sulfate rocks such as limestone, dolomite, marble, and gypsum by the action of slowly moving ground water that dissolves the rock to form tunnels, irregular passages, and even large caverns along joints and bedding planes.