WORMAN

At Worman Stone & Tile, we pride ourselves in working with the highest quality products on the market. To understand the quality of our products, their origin, and composition, we have compiled a little history into the composition of the materials we use.

TRAVERTINE

Travertine is a sedimentary rock. It is a natural chemical precipitate of carbonate minerals; typically Aragonite, but often recrystallized to or primarily Calcite. Basically, calcium carbonate is deposited from the water of mineral springs or rivulets saturated with calcium bicarbonate. The spring water can either be hot, warm or cold. The amount of deposits may increase with the water's temperature or when biotic material accelerates the precipitation. The ornate columns of travertine in caves is one example of an inorganic chemical sedimentary rock.

When carbon dioxide-rich water percolates through rocks in limestone areas, the water dissolves the limestone (typical karst process) and becomes saturated with it. When the environment the water runs through changes significantly (e.g. drop in pressure and/or change in temperature) this causes the water to release the carbon dioxide as gas, much like fizzy drinks. The calcium carbonate then recrystallizes; small debris, scrub and living biotic material such as moss, algae, and cyanobacteria are encrusted. The biotic material may survive and continue growing on top. Rich deposits of aged, dried and hardened travertine were mined by the Romans. The rock typically remains quite porous, with numerous cavities. When exceptionally porous, it is known as calcareous tuff (German: Kalktuff). When pure and fine, travertine is white, but often is brown to yellow due to impurities (other than carbonate minerals).

Extensive deposits exist at Tivoli, Italy, near Rome. In fact, travertine derives its name from this town. Tivoli was known as Tibur in ancient Roman times. The ancient name for the stone was lapis tiburtinus, meaning tibur stone, which has been corrupted to travertine.

Detailed studies of the Tivoli travertine deposits revealed diurnal and annual rhythmic banding and laminae which have potential use in geochronology [1].

In Central Europe's last postglacial palaeoclimatic optimum (Atlantic Period, 8000-5000 B.C.), huge "Calcareous Tuff" of karst spring deposits formed. Important geotopes are found at the Swabian Alb, mainly in valleys at the foremost northwest ridge of the cuesta, in many valleys of the eroded periphery of the karstic Franconian Jura, at the northern Alpine foothills, and the northern Karst Alps. On a smaller scale these karst processes are still working. Travertine was a very important building material for housing and representative buildings since the Middle Ages.

Travertine has formed 16 huge, natural dams in a valley in Croatia known as Plitvice Lakes National Park. The travertine clings to moss and rocks in the water, and has built up over several millennia to form waterfalls up to 70 m in height.[2]

Other beautiful cascades of natural lakes formed behind travertine dams can be seen in Band-e-Amir (Afghanistan), HuangLong Valley (Sichuan, China), Semuc Champey (Guatemala), and Pamukkale (Turkey). Many geyser fields also have colorful travertine deposits.