Breakdown inside the cave. Eventually, the entire cave will succumb to breakdown and a new cave could possibly form at lower levels if conditions are still conducive to karst formations.
Drainage grooves give an indication of the sediment level in the cave prior to extraction during salt peter mining or erosion. Drainage grooves form along clay-rich sediment fill that has retracted slightly from the walls during dry periods (Palmer 2007).
Spongework found inside and outside of cave due to erosional forces
Many years after the cave was formed it was filled with clay-rich sediment. This picture gives an indication of the amount of sediment deposited and removed during mining processes. A mechanical pencil is located in the lower right corner of the upper left quadrant for scale. The ceiling is visible less than a foot about the sediment fill.