Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Pre-clean your specimens. Scrub your mineral specimens under running water. If a mineral is soft, skip this step. However, if your specimens can withstand scrubbing (and most can), remove as much dirt and grime ahead of time. Do not use heavy pressure or "saw" back on forth on the same spot while scrubbing.
Mix your OA solution. You should be wearing gloves. Fill a 1-gallon jug two-thirds full with hot water. You can use water from the tap. Add 1 pound of OA crystals, being careful not to breathe any in. You may want to use a mask or a respirator if you do not have good ventilation where you are working. Swirl the liquid until the crystals dissolve and then top off the container with more hot water.
Arrange your specimens. Place your mineral specimens in a plastic tub. They should not be touching each other.
Soak the minerals. Completely cover your mineral specimens with the OA mixture. Let them sit for 72 hours. This will give the chemical time to dissolve any brown stains -- usually from iron oxide.
Rinse the specimens. Remember to wear your gloves. The best way to make sure all of the OA solution has rinsed off is to leave the minerals under running water for up to three hours. However, most people prefer to limit this to about 30 minutes to avoid wasting water. If you are going to reduce the rinsing time, make sure you turn the stones and expose every part to the running water.
Soak again. Fill a plastic tub with clean water. Let the minerals sit for 24 hours. Change the water several times over the course of this 24 hours to make sure the minerals are completely clean. Once you have completed this process, you can dry them off and store or display them as you wish.