Chemical weathering is caused by acidic substances that have dissolved in water. These substances break down rocky surfaces, finally breaking or dissolving the rock completely.

Acidic substances from the soil, air or vegetation can dissolve in water. For example, various lichens exude acidic substances that break down the surface of the rock. Chemical weathering is very common in areas where the most common rock type is chalkstone or limestone. Such areas can be found in Greece and Croatia, for example. These karst areas are characterized by depressions and stalactite caverns.

In karst areas, the surface of rocky areas are usually quite dry. This is the case because the water quickly flows into the inner parts of the rock through cracks caused by chemical weathering. When doing so, the water continues to erode these cracks even more. 

Deep inside the bedrock of a karst area, the water can weather the rock significantly, creating large caverns. The characteristic stalactite formations of these caverns are caused by chalk-rich water that has dripped down from the ceiling of the cavern over the course of millennia.

Stalactite caverns can be found in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, and Greece, for example. 



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The structure of a stalactite cavern.