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How can a stalactite and a stalagmite join to form a column?
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Stalactites and stalagmites in the Queen's Chamber, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, southeastern New Mexico.
Stalactites and stalagmites are speleothems formed by the deposition of mineralsāmost commonly calciteāfrom water dripping into a cavern.21
A stalactite hangs from the ceiling, built by mineral deposits left behind as water droplets cling to the rock, while a stalagmite rises from the floor, formed by minerals deposited after the water droplet falls and impacts the ground. Where these two features share a common drip-water source, they may continue to elongate over time. If this process persists, the stalactite and stalagmite will eventually meet, resulting in a junction that forms a single, continuous structure known as a column.21