Dogtooth spar

Dogtooth spar deposited on the walls of a part of the Caverns of Sonora near Sonora, Texas. The former water level can be seen in the upper left hand corner.

Dogtooth spar is a speleothem found in limestone caves that consists of very large calcite crystals resembling dogs' teeth (hence the name). They are usually found near standing water, where crystals can grow for a very long time. Most caves with dogtooth spar have seasonal flooding.

Dogtooth spar crystals are not limited to caves, but can grow in any open space including veins, fractures, and geodes. The sharply tooth-shaped crystals typically consist of acute scalenohedrons, twelve triangular crystal faces that ideally form scalene triangles. However, modification of these faces is common, and individual crystal faces may have many more than three edges. Calcite crystallizes in the rhombohedral system, and the most common scalenohedron form has the Miller index $[21\bar{3}1]$.

Spar is a general term for transparent to translucent, generally light-colored and vitreous crystalline minerals.

External links

• The Virtual Cave:Spar

This article about a specific mineral or mineraloid is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: Speleothems Mineral stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая? The Red Badge of Gayness Jack of the United States Look at other dictionaries: Dogtooth spar — Dogtooth Dog tooth , n.; pl. {Dogteeth}. 1. See {Canine tooth}, under {Canine}. [1913 Webster] 2. (Arch.) An ornament common in Gothic architecture, consisting of pointed projections resembling teeth; also called {tooth ornament}. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English dogtooth spar — noun : a variety of calcite that occurs in acute crystals resembling the tooth of a dog * * * dogtooth spar, a variety of calcite occurring in sharp crystals that resemble canine teeth …   Useful english dictionary dogtooth-spar — dogˈtooth sparˈ noun Calcite crystals like canine teeth • • • Main Entry: ↑dog …   Useful english dictionary Dogtooth — may refer to: Dogtooth, North Dakota, United States Dogtooth (anatomy), a relatively long, pointed tooth Dogtooth (film), a 2009 Greek film See also Dog tooth (architectural ornamentation, or a particular wing or tailplane design) Dogtooth spar… …   Wikipedia Dogtooth — Dog tooth , n.; pl. {Dogteeth}. 1. See {Canine tooth}, under {Canine}. [1913 Webster] 2. (Arch.) An ornament common in Gothic architecture, consisting of pointed projections resembling teeth; also called {tooth ornament}. [1913 Webster] {Dogtooth …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English Dogtooth violet — Dogtooth Dog tooth , n.; pl. {Dogteeth}. 1. See {Canine tooth}, under {Canine}. [1913 Webster] 2. (Arch.) An ornament common in Gothic architecture, consisting of pointed projections resembling teeth; also called {tooth ornament}. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English Spar (mineralogy) — Spar is a term that is used to refer to a category of crystals that have readily discernible faces. Crystallized, earthy, and some metallic, a spar will easily break into rhomboidal, cubical, or laminated fragments with polished surfaces, but… …   Wikipedia calcareous spar — Calcite Cal cite (k[a^]l s[imac]t), n. [L. calx, calcis, lime.] (Min.) Calcium carbonate, or carbonate of lime. It is rhombohedral in its crystallization, and thus distinguished from aragonite. It includes common limestone, chalk, and marble.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English calc-spar — Calcite Cal cite (k[a^]l s[imac]t), n. [L. calx, calcis, lime.] (Min.) Calcium carbonate, or carbonate of lime. It is rhombohedral in its crystallization, and thus distinguished from aragonite. It includes common limestone, chalk, and marble.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English dog's-tooth violet — Dogtooth Dog tooth , n.; pl. {Dogteeth}. 1. See {Canine tooth}, under {Canine}. [1913 Webster] 2. (Arch.) An ornament common in Gothic architecture, consisting of pointed projections resembling teeth; also called {tooth ornament}. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”