Illusion Pot

[Rachel]

Down Illusion Pot last weekend, we noticed that some parts of the cave are now taped off that didn't used to be. Some of the formations are also considerably grubbier than they were a few years ago. It got us to wondering if the taping was the beginning of a conservation effort and cleanup of this lovely cave.

 

[mrodoc]

It needs it. I have only been there once but the description that we had gave directions to view formations that would have muddied them badly and which didn't need to be followed to view them anyway. I hope the cave is still in good nick.

 

[Andy Walsh]

Me and Andy Hine +others did a clean up a year or so ago at the "north end"and put tape down not too good as needed more water and a wire brush
people had climbed out of the calcite crawl  so we made the climb near by a bit easier /more obvious way out
some improvement but a job that should not be needed used a few "beer tokens"

 

[mrodoc]

Put some of my photos of Illusion on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/75822386@N06/albums/72157693879299975

 

[mrodoc]

I hope this works!

 

[Ian Ball]

That's a great shot!  Is that manganese tinging?

 

[mrodoc]

I suppose so but I am sure there are indviduals more qualified than me to give a more definitive answer.

 

[Fulk]

Is it possible to analyse stals like that without 'removing' them and working on them in a lab?

 

[shotlighter]

Is it possible to analyse stals like that without 'removing' them and working on them in a lab?

Handheld XRF is a pretty mature technology now, for quick elemental analysis.  Don't know if it's ever been tried on in situ stal though.