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How to Remove Calcite From Crystals

Rock, mineral and crystal collecting are done by amateur collectors as well as professional jewelers, gem specialists and lapidary artists. You can find all kinds of stones, which look quite different in the raw state than when cleaned and polished. Some crystals may have undesirable deposits on them. These can be removed using different home-cleaning solutions or special chemical formulas. To remove calcite, the simplest method involves using items you may already have in your home.

Things You'll Need

Buckets
Water
White vinegar
Ammonia
Small scrubber
Rubber gloves
Eye goggles
Muriatic acid solution (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Scrub your minerals gently to remove the large and obvious outer dirt. Rinse and pat the crystals dry.
- 2
  Place your specimens into a clean bucket. Pour white vinegar into the bucket using enough to cover all the specimens. Don't add water. Allow the stones to soak in the full-strength vinegar for eight to 12 hours or overnight.
- 3
  Remove the crystals from the vinegar and wash and rinse them completely. Place them into a clean bucket. Fill the bucket with ammonia, using enough to cover the stones. Soak the crystals another eight to 12 hours or overnight.
- 4
  Rinse the crystals fully and wipe them dry.
- 5
  Repeat the process until all the calcite deposits are removed.

Rock Collecting