2013-2014 Event Planner

Mega Cavern Vocabulary

Geology - the study and history of the Earth. Geo means earth or land. Logo means speech or story.

Strata - layers of limestone. Each layer represents a different ocean.

Joints - lines in the ceiling. This is where water enters into the cavern. Eventually formations will begin to form on joints over a period of time.

Calcite - the main mineral within limestone. Calcite is the white color within the limestone.

Goethite - a mineral that has a reddish color within the limestone.

Birnessite - a mineral that has a blackish or grayish color within the limestone.

Fossil - are the preserved remains or traces of animals, plants, and other organisms from the remote past.

Limestone - a sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate, often from shell fragments. Learn more about limestone...

Draperies - ribbon like formations that are composed of different minerals. These formations are formed when water flows down the wall leaving behind minerals that eventually harden and build up to create what resembles cave bacon or an elephant’s ear.

Room & Pillar Method - holes were drilled in the walls, floors, and the ceiling by placing dyna-mite in those holes creating a controlled blast of rock. This left behind a room and pillar as they moved on throughout the cavern.

Green Building - a building that is built with energy savings incorporated into its construction.

Vermiculture - the method of composting with earthworms. Waste is eaten and converted by worms.

Civil Defense - an effort to prepare civilians for military attack. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation, and recovery.

Fallout Shelter - a shelter to protect civilians from the radiation after a nuclear attack.

Limestone Mining - the act of extracting limestone from the Earth.