 A stalactice hanging above subterranean water. Notice the water reflection. A stalactite (Greek stalaktos, "dripping") or dripstone is a type of speleothem that hangs from the ceiling or wall of a limestone cave. It is formed from the deposit of calcium carbonate and the dripping of mineralized solutions. The corresponding formation on the floor underneath a stalactite is known as a stalagmite. Should both these formations grow together, meeting in the middle, the resultant formation is known as a column or pillar. Note that icicles are not stalactites, since they are made of water.
There are mnemonics to remember which formation hangs from the ceiling (stalactite) and which grows upward from the floor (stalagmite):
- StalaCtite has a "c" for "ceiling".
- StalaGmite has a "g" for "ground".
- Stalactites hang "tite" to the ceiling above
- Stalagmites you "mite" trip over if you don't watch where you're stepping
The longest stalactite known hangs in the Chamber of Rarities in the Gruta Rei do Mato (Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais, Brazil). It is 20 metres long.
 Formation of stalactites. Related topics
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