The total area of Mecsek mountain range with its varied geological makeup is approximately 500 km². It contains rocks from different geological eras from crystalline rocks as old as hundreds of millions of years to calc-tufa still forming today. In the Western part of the mountain, an area of about 50 km² is suitable for karst formation mostly containing limestone and dolomite, but also containing small amounts of marl variations. Carbonite substrates overlap and border southward the sandstones and aleurites of Jakab-Mountain (Jakab-hegy) providing a large water source to the karst. The resulting alluvium’s abrasive force may play an important role in the formation of caves with flowing streams in Mecsek.

Ponors and sinkholes are typically found at the bottom of North-South ancient valleys. The Mecsek karst region can be divided into the drainage basins of eight karst springs including Tettye-, Vízfő-, Kőlyuk-, Paplika (Abaligeti-), and Kispaplika spring, and the Mélyvölgyi-, Mészégető-, and Melegmányi springs.

The longest cave of the karst region is Abaliget Cave. The total length of the cave is 1750 metres out of which a 500-metre section of the main corridor can be visited by tourists. The minor corridors of the cave can only be accessed by speleologists. The deepest cave of the region is Spiral Hole (Spirál-nyelő) that has been excavated up to 96 metres depth reaching the main corridor with a stream at the level of karst water.

The surface of the karst region is characterized by potholes and deep sinkholes of 10-20-30 metres deep. Shorter and longer sections of active cave streams have become known in streams at the foot of the mountain (Vízfő-, Kispaplika-, Mészégető-, Melegmányi streams) that end in uncharted siphons. Rare formations in the karst region are Törökpince Sinkhole Cave and the Akácos Hole connected to Abaliget Cave and the syngenetic tufa caverns that formed within Tettye Tufa Cave (Tettyei Mésztufa Barlang). Mecsek is rich in various ground-level karst formations as well including fully-fledged ponors, sinkholes, or the tufa steps of Melegmány and Nagymélyvölgy.