The first step we are going to take in order to know the meaning of the term stalagmite is to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can establish that it derives from Greek, since it is the result of the sum of two lexical components of said language:
-The noun “stalagmos”, which can be translated as “drop by drop”.
-The suffix “-ita”, which is used to refer to minerals.
This term derived, in our language, from stalagmite : a rock that appears on the floor of a cave when, from a stalactite , water with calcite (calcium carbonate) drips.
To understand what a stalagmite is, therefore, we must first refer to stalactites. A stalactite is formed when water seeps into a cave from the surface, falling in drops that carry minerals such as calcite. Thus, as little by little the mineral solidifies again, a conical rock begins to form on the ceiling of the cave: the stalactite.
This process, in turn, causes another formation to be generated, called a stalagmite. Water with diluted calcite drips from the stalactites to the ground , accumulating in layers that, when the mineral solidifies again, produces stalagmites. While stalactites hang from the ceiling with their point downwards, stalagmites emerge from the ground with their point upward.
What are stalagmites, in short? These are calcareous rocks that appear on the floor of a deep cavity. Its formation is linked to calcite or another mineral that is diluted in water and then, much later, solidifies due to environmental conditions.
If the growth of a stalagmite from the ground up meets the development of a stalactite from the ceiling down, a geological column may appear. These pillars arise when the stalagmite and stalactite meet and cohere, generating a single formation that goes from the floor to the ceiling of the cavern.
There are numerous stalagmites that have had an impact throughout the world. However, among the most significant we can highlight some such as the following:
-The largest in the world is located in China, specifically in the well-known Zhi Jin cave. It stands out that it is a whopping 70 meters high. Of course, around it there are others that reach 40 meters.
-The second most important in the world due to its dimensions is located in the San Martín – Inferno Cave, in Cuba, and is 67.2 meters high.
-Among the most significant are also other stalagmites that are located in Cuba, more precisely in the area known as the San Martín Mountains. In this place there is a karst cave where one that reaches 63 meters has been found.
-The fourth largest is in Italy, in a cave in Sardinia that responds to the name of Ispinigoli. It is the most important in Europe and is 38 meters high.
-The fifth, for its part, is located in the Krásnohorská cave in Slovakia and is 32.6 meters high.