Trovant

Trovants or concretions, also known as "growing stones", are geological formations found in sand accumulations and sandstone deposits cemented by waters rich in calcium carbonate. Trovants grow spontaneously from the center to the periferics - with a deposition rate of about 4-5 cm in 1200 years. They appear as mineral units, nodular, spherical or cylindrical with massive, concentric or plain structure ranging from a few millimeters to several meters.

Trovants can be found in Romania at two locations in Vâlcea County and one at Feleac Hill (Dealul Feleac) near Cluj Napoca. Trovants can be seen at the Trovants Museum (Muzeul Trovanţilor) in Costeşti, Vâlcea County.

The first location is a sand quarry on the left side of DN67, before the entry in Costeşti village. On an area of 100 m² there are several trovants of various forms, several tons heavy, extracted from the steep sand quarry wall.

The second location, and the most spectacular, is along Gresarea brook that flows into a river in the nearby of the Oteşani village, approximately 15km from Horezu. Going up the Gresarea brook you will find trovants in many forms, with weights ranging from only a few grams to hundreds of kilograms.

External links

* [http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/ecology/natural-design-series-stones-that-literally-grow-by-themseleves/1232 Stones That Literally Grow by Themselves]
* [http://blog.dreamstime.com/2008/05/07/&x22;trovants-museum-natural-reserve&x22;-in-romania_art26291 "Trovants Museum Natural Reserve" in Romania]
* Close up images [http://www.geocities.com/valisarm/Perseids2001/trovanti3.jpg] [http://www.geocities.com/valisarm/Perseids2001/trovanti4.jpg]