Cave of the Mounds the Interior and the National Park Service. To be considered a NNL, "a site must be one of the best examples of a natural region's characteristic biotic or geologic features." Cave of the Mounds is home to many varieties of speleothems. As with most caves, stalactites and stalagmites are common. Formations found inside the cave include: These formations come in many different brilliant colors such as reds, browns, blues, and grays. The reds and browns are caused by the presence of iron oxide in the formation. Similarly, blues and grays are caused by manganese oxide. Some speleothems are even partially
Amorphous calcium carbonate the ability to stabilize poorly soluble drug molecules in its extensive pore system and could also enhance the drug release rates of these drugs. Paleoclimate reconstruction: A better understanding of the transformation process from amorphous to crystalline calcium carbonate will improve reconstructions of past climates that use chemical and biological proxies. For example, the calibrations of the clumped C-O carbonate paleothermometer and understanding the origins and evolution of skeletal structures. Environmental remediation: Improving environmental remediation efforts through gaining insight into the roles of earth materials in biogeochemical cycling of nutrients and metals through better understandings of the properties of environmental