Travertine

Rock made of calcite, aragonite

Common

A freshwater limestone laid down round mineral springs, banded or fibrous, white, tan, cream or rusty. Named after Tivoli (Tibur) near Rome; the soft, very porous kind from cold water is tufa.

Rock

Kind of rock
Chemical sedimentary rock
Rock family
Limestone and chalk
Texture
banded, porous
Shapes the land into
Hot Spring, Waterfall
How it forms
Calcium carbonate comes out of spring water quickly as it loses carbon dioxide, at hot springs, waterfalls and cascades, and in caves as stalactites.
Uses
A building stone in Italy and elsewhere.

Crystallography

Habits
Massive

Physical properties

Luster
Dull
Colors
white, pale yellow, reddish brown
Transparency
Opaque

Geology

Origins
Sedimentary, Hydrothermal
Geography
Italy (Tivoli), USA (Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming)

Classification

Rarity
Common
Gem quality
No

Sources

Browse the Crystal Encyclopedia — MGS Toolbox