This is also called water-absorbing stone and is an ornamental stone with a strong water absorption capacity. It is travertine that is mainly composed of calcium carbonate with an age of a few decades to thousands of years; the larger the size is, the longer the period of formation. It forms from limestone that is dissolved in water, forming an over-saturated carbonate solution that then precipitates through physical and chemical action, and the water then rises due to capillary action. Water stones can be divided into sand-deposited stones and calc-sinter. Sand-deposited stones are a mixture of algae, weeds and trees with sand and mud that form by geologic action. Travertine stones are calc-sinter accumulations that sometimes contain moss and worm fossils. They are usually yellow, brown or white with beautiful shapes and hard textures. They also have tubular, hollow or striped patterns and can be used as bonsai rocks to hold moisture. Water stones can be found everywhere in China,...
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(2020). Water Stone. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_2736
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