The NSS Bulletin - ISSN 1090-6924
Volume 40 Number 1: 19-24 - January 1978
A publication of the National Speleological Society

Mineralogy of Ogle Cave
Carol A. Hill

Abstract

Ogle Cave contains massive carbonate dripstone and flowstone speleothems such as stalactites, stalagmites, columns, draperies, flowstone, and bell canopies; it also contains smaller carbonate speleothems such as shields, tower coralloids, rimstone shelves, helictites, rafts, rimstone dams, cave pearls, moonmilk, and popcorn. The columns in Ogle Cave reach 20 m in height. Cross sections of these columns indicate three separate growth periods. Evaporation, as well of CO2 loss, appears to be a mechanism for calcite deposition in Ogle Cave and has produced the unusual speleothem morphology of bell canopies and tower caralloids. Popcorn growth is oriented toward the Ogle entrance and away from the Rainbow entrance. This orientation may be due to differential evaporation rates caused by a seasonal "chimney effect" within the cave. Brushite, a phosphate mineral, is found in great abundance in Ogle Cave and is a leached by-product of bat guano. Small amounts of calcite flowstone, coral, soda straw, and drapery deposits have grown within the cave in the 40 to 60 years since guano mining ended.

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