Lechuguilla Cave

SEM image (120x) of corrosion pit in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Subsequent images show closer up images of the mesh of filaments present in the pit. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image (450x) of corrosion pit in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Filaments are just barely visible. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image (2000x) of filament mesh in corrosion pit in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image (7000x) of filaments in the corrosion pit in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of environment around the filaments. Shows the presence of dolomite. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image (220x) of second corrosion pit in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image (850x) of second corrosion pit in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Mesh of filaments is visible. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image (3300x) of second corrosion pit in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Mesh of filaments is visible. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image (14,000x) closeup of filaments in second corrosion pit in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Filaments are approximately 0.2 microns in diameter. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image (120x) of third corrosion pit in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image (550x) of third corrosion pit with mesh of filaments in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image (5000x) closeup of filaments in third corrosion pit in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image of black corrosion residue from EY56, Western Borehole. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of black corrosion residue from EY56, Western Borehole. Note presence of manganese peak. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of black corrosion residue from EY56, Western Borehole. Note presence of rare earth elements associated with phosphorus. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of black corrosion residue from EY56, Western Borehole. Note presence of strong manganese peak. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of black corrosion residue from EY56, Western Borehole. Note presence of strong manganese peak and minor sulfur and magnesium peaks. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of black corrosion residue from EY56, Western Borehole. Note presence of manganese, sulfur, and magnesium peaks. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image of the ocher-colored corrosion residue from EY56, Western Borehole. Light-colored areas of image may be apatite and barite. See EDS analysis below. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of ocher-colored corrosion residue from EY56, Western Borehole. Spectrum shows a strong iron presence and minor amounts of vanadium, sulfur, phosphorus, and clay elements. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of light-colored element in corrosion residue from EY56, Western Borehole. Spectrum shows strong barium and sulfur peaks, possibly indicating the presence of barite in the sample. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of ocher-colored corrosion residue from EY56, Western Borehole. Spectrum shows rare earth peaks (lanthanum, cerium, and neodymium) associated with a strong phosphorus peak. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image of calcite crystals with porous, dissolved dolomite from gypsum sample from EY56 in the Western Borehole. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image of dolomite from gypsum sample from EY56 in the Western Borehole. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of bright particles on gypsum sample from EY56 in the Western Borehole. Note presence of strong iron peak and some vanadium. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of bright particles on gypsum sample from EY56 in the Western Borehole. Note presence of strong iron peak and some clay elements. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of bright particles on gypsum sample from EY56 in the Western Borehole. Note presence of strong iron peak and some clay elements and vanadium. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of bright particles on gypsum sample from EY56 in the Western Borehole. Note presence of strong iron, oxygen, and calcium peaks and some clay elements, vanadium, phosphorus. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of large crystal in the inner wallrock at EY56 in the Western Borehole. EDS suggests the crystal is calcite. EDS of several locations within the inner wallrock at this location showed the same composition whether they were defined crystals or not. Some had a little more magnesium. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of barite crystals in a conglomeration of clay and iron from EY56 in the Western Borehole. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of inner wall rock from EY56 in the Western Borehole. Notice the presence of sulfur, potassium, and iron peaks in addition to the clay elements. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of gypsum sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Peaks suggest the presence of dolomite. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of bright particles in outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Peaks include iron, vanadium, oxygen, silicon, and aluminum. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

SEM image of dolomite in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

br> SEM image of a putative apatite crystal in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 in the Western Borehole. Photo by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of bright particles in outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. Peaks suggest the presence of apatite. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of the area between the larger dolomite crystals in the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. A strong iron signal is observed. Not shown, but detected in the surrounding areas are barite crystals and gypsum particles. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

EDS spectrum of bright crystals the outer wallrock sample from EY56 site in the Western Borehole. A strong iron signal is observed. Samples are Au-Pd coated. Analysis by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.