<p>Looks like alkali earths ( Ca, Ba , etc.) carbonates deposited from a supersaturated hot spring. As the water emerges from the spring, carbon dioxide leaves the water and the water cools, it precipitates the carbonate ; you could call it limestone. There may be other minerals that will precipitate from a spring. From the foliage , it looks like a relatively recent development.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-13T02:23:39.123Z
Probably not Ba, but definiitely Ca. Possibly some form of travertine.
Gimelist
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-12T19:55:02.463Z
2018-09-12T19:55:02.463Z
blacksmith37
<p>It's either, as blacksmith37 suggests a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcite" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Calcite</a> deposit or possibly, given how tectonically active Thailand is, it's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_dioxide" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Silica</a> from geothermal springs. Geothermal silica often forms large <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sintering#Natural_sintering_in_geology" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sinter</a> deposits such as the famous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_and_White_Terraces" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pink and White Terraces</a>, now either destroyed or partially buried at the bottom of Lake Rotomahana, but also much smaller formations in many geothermally active areas throughout the world.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-15T16:27:39.610Z
2018-09-15T16:27:39.610Z
Ash
<p>This is at Bua Tong Waterfalls in  Chiang Mai, Thailand.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ZBfjb.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ZBfjb.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>Tried to find scientific information about this waterfall, but google turns up only travellers' vague guesses, suggesting calcium carbonate rich waters. The rock itself seems to have formed by layers of crystallised minerals, and is soft enough to be scratched with a strong stick. It is also quite grippy, allowing tourists to walk up unusually steep surfaces.</p>

<p><strong>What causes such waterfalls and rocks to form, and what are its characteristics?</strong></p>

<geology><sedimentology>
What caused this waterfall to have rounded formations?
Filthy Dante
# What caused this waterfall to have rounded formations?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-09-12)

This is at Bua Tong Waterfalls in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/ZBfjb.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/ZBfjb.jpg)

Tried to find scientific information about this waterfall, but google turns up only travellers' vague guesses, suggesting calcium carbonate rich waters. The rock itself seems to have formed by layers of crystallised minerals, and is soft enough to be scratched with a strong stick. It is also quite grippy, allowing tourists to walk up unusually steep surfaces.

**What causes such waterfalls and rocks to form, and what are its characteristics?**

**Tags:** geology, sedimentology


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-09-12. Score: 6

Looks like alkali earths ( Ca, Ba , etc.) carbonates deposited from a supersaturated hot spring. As the water emerges from the spring, carbon dioxide leaves the water and the water cools, it precipitates the carbonate ; you could call it limestone. There may be other minerals that will precipitate from a spring. From the foliage , it looks like a relatively recent development.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Probably not Ba, but definiitely Ca. Possibly some form of travertine.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2018-09-15. Score: 3

It's either, as username_1 suggests a [Calcite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcite) deposit or possibly, given how tectonically active Thailand is, it's [Silica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_dioxide) from geothermal springs. Geothermal silica often forms large [sinter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sintering#Natural_sintering_in_geology) deposits such as the famous [Pink and White Terraces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_and_White_Terraces), now either destroyed or partially buried at the bottom of Lake Rotomahana, but also much smaller formations in many geothermally active areas throughout the world.


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