Lower Cretaceous-aged limestones with guano-derived phosphate sediments mined 1912-41. This is one of three caves in the Tara Hategului plateau near the town of Hunedoara. This plateau has also produced some small dinosaur fossils.
Ref.: Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 1010.
Onac, B.P., Breban, R., Kearns, J., and Tamas, T. (2002) Unusual minerals related to phosphate deposits in Cioclovina Cave, Şureanu Mts. (Romania). Theoretical and Applied Karstology: 15: 27-34.
European Journal of Mineralogy (2002): 14: 157-164.
Onac, B.P., Ettinger, K., Kearns, J., Balasz, I.I. (2005): A modern, guano-related occurrence of foggite, CaAl(PO4)(OH)2·H2O and churchite-(Y), YPO4·2H2O in Cioclovina Cave, Romania. Mineralogy and Petrology, 85, 291-302.
American Mineralogist (2005) 90: 1203-1208.
Onac, B.P., et al. (2006). American Mineralogist: 91: 1927-1931.
Onac, B.P., and H.S. Effenberger (2007): American Mineralogist 92: 1998-2001.
