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  1. Typical view in the standart calcite ensemble.

    Cupp-Coutunn cave, Morozov's chamber. The image height is 2.5 m.

    picture 1

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  2. Author in the squeeze, after excavation of which the

    Zelenykh Zmiev (Promezhutochnaya Cave) area

    has been discovered.

    picture 2

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  3. Plateau of the Kugitangtau Ridge viewed from the foot plain. Gypsum depositions of the Gaurduck Series are at the first and foremost, limestone plateau is at the background. The top part of the ridge is seen as the skyline.

    picture 3

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  4. Ancient (pre-thermal phase) collapse, blocking the southern limit of the cave system.

    Promezhutochnaya Cave.

    picture 4

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  5. Unique glassy-transparent gypsum antholites

    up to 25 cm long from the Dvukhetazhnyi Chamber of the Promezhutochnaya Cave.

    picture 5

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  6. Typical view inside the gypsum chandellier - stalagmite ensemble (chandellier variant).

    Geophyzicheskaya Cave, Sinilga passage.

    picture 6

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  7. Gypsum crystal, definitely overgrowing a pseudohelictite.

    Promezhutochnaya Cave. The crystal is 2 cm large.

    picture 7

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  8. Typical view inside the gypsum chandellier - stalagmite ensemble (variant without chandelliers).

    Geophyzicheskaya Cave, Sinilga passage.

    picture 8

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  9. Significantly gypsum ensemble. Clay with the satin spar ingrowth is on the floor. The clay is overgrowed by gypsum crusts, needles and antholites.

    Geophyzicheskaya Cave. The image height is 1 m.

    picture 9

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  10. Transparent calcite draperies in the Kus'kina Mat' Gallery in the canyon suffosion area.

    Cupp-Coutunn cave. The image size is 1.5 m.

    picture 10

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  11. Calcite speleothems on the corroded wall.

    Cupp-Coutunn cave, Morozov's chamber. The image height is 1.5 m.

    picture 11

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  12. Monocrystalline gypsum stalagmite from the

    Dikobrazii (Porcupine's) Chamber, Promezhutochnaya Cave. The image height is 0.5 m.

    picture 12

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  13. 25-cm long capillary-channel helictites on the calcite wall crust

    in the Ochen Khitryi (Very Smart) Chamber, Cupp-Coutunn Cave.

    picture 13

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  14. A lake with calcite shelfstone.

    Ozyornyi Khod passage, Promezhutochnaya Cave. The image height is 1 m.

    picture 14

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  15. Calcite - aragonite - magnesial ensemble. Helictites of two types - large channel-free and small channel, as well as aragonite straw (first and foremost) - grow on the floor. The masses of fallen okher (recidual clay) are seen on the background.

    Cupp-Coutunn cave, Morozov's chamber. The image height is 1.5 m.

    picture 15

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  16. Stalactite "rain" on the ceiling. Stalactites are up to 1 m. long, some with spar helictite overgrowth.

    Cupp-Coutunn cave, Zal Kobyly chamber.

    picture 16

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  17. Unique type of channel-free helictites, typical for the calcite-aragonite-magnesial ensemble.

    Cupp-Coutunn cave, Morozov's chamber. The image height is 1 m.

    picture 17

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  18. Calcite - aragonite pseudohelictites, powdered by gypsum crumb from spinkling crusts.

    Dikobrazii (Porcupine's) Chamber, Promezhutochnaya Cave.

    picture 18

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  19. Large (up to 20 cm) helictites, which are similar in morphology to channel type, but having no channel.

    A small chamber in the SUR-85 maze, Cupp-Coutunn cave.

    picture 19

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  20. Calcite - aragonite - magnesial ensemble. High magnesium calcite stalactites and stalagmites and a large bush of pseudohelictites. Massive fallen okher sediments are seen on the floor.

    A small chamber in the Yo maze, Cupp-Coutunn cave. The image height is 1 m.

    picture 20

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  21. fraipontite layer, green-colored by nickel, is seen through a transparent calcite crust.

    Zelyonykh Zmiev (Green Serpents) maze, Promezhutochnaya Cave. The image height is 0.1 m.

    picture 21

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  22. A thermal phase fluorite crystal. The dissolution traces are visible.

    Zelyonykh Zmiev (Green Serpents) maze, Promezhutochnaya Cave.

    picture 22

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  23. 3 cm. high aragonite - cerussite dendritic "stalagmite".

    Damskiye Pal'chiki (Lady's Fingers) chamber, Cupp-Coutunn cave.

    picture 23

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  24. Typical speleothems sequence for the calcite - aragonite - led ensemble: calcite stalagmite, crooked-facette calcite crystals, calcite coralloids, aragonite crystallictites, hydromagnesite efflorescences.

    A small chamber in the Yo maze, Cupp-Coutunn cave. The image height is 0.5 m.

    picture 24

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  25. Frostwork (small isolated crystallictites) of undiagnosed mineral *2, overgrowing calcite soda-straw.

    A small chamber in the Yo maze, Cupp-Coutunn cave. The image height is 0.2 m.

    picture 25

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  26. Giant bush of aragonite straw.

    A small chamber in the Yo maze, Cupp-Coutunn cave. The image height is 1.5 m.

    picture 26

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  27. Hydromagnesite coralloids and efflorescences, overgrowing aragonite straw and "iron flowers".

    A small chamber in the Yo maze, Cupp-Coutunn cave. The image height is 0.2 m.

    picture 27

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  28. Pseudohexogonal gypsum crystals in the calcite-gypsum ensemble of the Dikobrazii Hall type.

    Dikobrazii (Porcupine's) Chamber, Promezhutochnaya Cave. The image height is 0.05 m.

    picture 28

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  29. Pseudohelictite clusters along a fracture, providing a supply of feeding solution.

    Dikobrazii (Porcupine's) Chamber, Promezhutochnaya Cave. The image height is 1 m.

    picture 29

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  30. Undiagnosed mineral *3 (yellow).

    The bush size is 15 cm. Ozyornyi Khod passage, Promezhutochnaya Cave.

    picture 30

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  31. Sauconite spherulites 1 cm large (white).

    Ozyornyi Khod passage, Promezhutochnaya Cave.

    picture 31

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  32. Undiagnosed mineral *5,

    the largest crystal is 3 cm long. OSKhI passage, Promezhutochnaya Cave.

    picture 32

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  33. Residual clay (okher) and relics of thermal phase calcite with "sulfide mirror" on it's surface.

    Main Gallery, Promezhutochnaya Cave. The crystal size is 15 cm.

    picture 33

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  34. One of the mineralogically most interesting places in the cave (calcite, sauconite, fraipontite, fluorite, gypsum, undiagnosed *3, etc., located inside 0.5 square metre) has absolutely improper appearence.

    Ozyornyi Khod passage, Promezhutochnaya Cave. The image height is 0.7 m.

    picture 34

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  35. Unique "flower beds" of non-classic calcite helictites, completely destroyed during the mining period.

    Velikolepiye (Splendid) chamber, Promezhutochnaya Cave. The image height is 1.5 m.

    picture 35

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  36. Beautiful galleries with stalactites, capillary-channel helictites on the walls, pseudohelictites on the roof, unstidied helictites on the floor are typical for the Yo maze.

    Cupp-Coutunn cave. The image height is 1.5 m.

    picture 36

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  37. Aragonite dendritic "stalagmites", up to 30 cm high, are met exclusively in the

    Damskiye Pal'chiky chamber, Cupp-Coutunn Cave.

    picture 37

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  38. Large halls in the system: the height is much less than thickness of block and clay deposits on the floor, as a result of almost no removal of such material by water.

    Promezhutochnaya Cave, Pustynnyi (Deserty) chamber.

    picture 38

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  39. Gypsum crystals, definitely overgrowing pseudohelictites.

    Promezhutochnaya Cave, Dikobrazii (Porcupine's) Chamber. The image height is 1.5 m.

    picture 39

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  40. Calcite coralloids and crystallictites on dried (up to desquamination) clay. The principle of such crust formation, caused by physics of evaporation - "growing on edges", is visible clearly.

    A small chamber in the Yo maze, Cupp-Coutunn cave. The image height is 0.4 m.

    picture 40

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  41. Sulfide powdering on aragonite crystallictite bushes.

    Vodopadnyi (Waterfall) chamber, Cupp-Coutunn cave. The image height is 1.5 m.

    picture 41

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  42. Giant aragonite frostwork in the Orlinoye Gnezdo (Eagle's Nest) chamber, Cupp-Coutunn Cave.

    The image height is 0.1 m.

    picture 42

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  43. Oriented aragonite crystallictites overgrowth on calcite stalactites and stalagmites. The bushes grow towards "dry wind".

    A small chamber in the Yo maze, Cupp-Coutunn cave. The image height is 0.3 m.

    picture 43

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  44. Calcite capillary-channel helictites upon stalactites (center), pseudohelictites (background), crusts and coralloids (below).

    Cupp-Coutunn cave, Morozov's chamber. The image height is 1 m.

    picture 44

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  45. High-magnesium calcite helictites and aragonite straw in the calcite-aragonite-magnesial ensemble.

    A small chamber in the Yo maze, Cupp-Coutunn cave. The image height is 0.6 m.

    picture 45

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

  46. Just beautiful.

    Cupp-Coutunn cave, Morozov's chamber.

    picture 46

    Photo: Vladimir Maltsev

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