Journal of Cave and Karst Studies - ISSN 1090-6924
Volume 62 Number 2: 72-74 - August 2000

A publication of the National Speleological Society

Summary of the timing of sulfuric acid speleogenesis for the Guadalupe caves based on ages of alunite
Victor J. Polyak and Paula P. Provencio

Abstract

The H2SO4 caves in the Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico, USA, such as Carlsbad, Cottonwood, Endless, Lechuguilla, and Virgin caves, formed during the late Miocene and early Pliocene (12-4 Ma). It has been demonstrated that the caves at the higher elevations are the oldest. The timing of speleogenesis was determined by the 40Ar/39Ar dating of the mineral alunite, which is a direct by-product of H2SO4 speleogenesis.

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