Indiana Caverns the calcium carbonate precipitates out of the water. The calcium carbonate, in the form of the mineral calcite, a solid, crystallizes onto the bottoms and sides of existing stalactites, stalagmites, helictites, and sheets of flowstone to grow the formations over time. Other minerals are brought into the cave by flowing of water to create white, red, tan, and gray colors on the formations and walls. St. Louis Limestone is primarily made of calcite, but is also known to contain magnesium sulfate, manganese dioxide, ferric oxide, gypsum, dolomite, and aragonite. On the show tour, deposits of calcite, manganese dioxide, and ferric
Carbonate hardness carbonate expressed as if calcium carbonate were the sole source of carbonate ions. An aqueous solution containing 120 mg NaHCO (baking soda) per litre of water will contain 1.4285 mmol/l of bicarbonate, since the molar mass of baking soda is 84.007 g/mol. This is equivalent in carbonate hardness to a solution containing 0.71423 mmol/L of (calcium) carbonate, or 71.485 mg/l of calcium carbonate (molar mass 100.09 g/mol). Since one degree KH = 17.848 mg/L CaCO, this solution has a KH of 4.0052 degrees. Carbonate hardness should not be confused with a similar measure Carbonate Alkalinity which is expressed in either