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Instructions
Drying for Mineral Curation
Identify your specimen. You need to know exactly what type of crystal you have before you do anything to it. If you are out in the field that means knowing what crystals are indigenous to the area you are hunting in, and researching care techniques. Some crystals require fast action in drying and coating before they disintegrate when brought above ground. This is especially true with sulfate classification minerals. Drying can ruin other crystals. Laumontite, for example, will crumble if dried.
Dry crystals in jewelry with a clean polishing cloth. Crystals used to make jewelry are not water soluble. The crystals can be air dried but water often contains minerals that will leave spots or a coating on crystals. Quickly buffing them dry with a polishing cloth will keep them from becoming dull.
Care for water soluble crystals by air drying only. Clean the crystals gently as needed with dental tools or a razor blade rather than attempting to wash them. Many of these crystals melt when moist. Spray halite, borax thenardite and other evaporates lightly with a lacquer spray as soon as they are dry. Spraying protects crystals from destruction from moisture in the air. Some minerals, such as hanksite, can be coated with mineral oil after drying but mineral oil will attract dirt making it necessary to clean these delicate crystals periodically.
Air dry crystals that are not water soluble to aid in cleaning as well as after cleaning. Some minerals you find will be caked with clay mud that is extremely hard to remove. Spray as much mud as you can off the crystals with a garden hose then let them air dry. When the mud has dried, brush the crystals with a firm brush to remove all excess clay before cleaning with an acid bath. After cleaning let the crystal air dry again. Sunlight fades many colored crystals so make sure that air drying is always done away from sunlight.
Avoid heat drying any mineral. Heat changes the structures of some minerals and causes fractures in others. Heat also changes the color of some minerals. Moisture is part of the construction of some minerals and heat evaporates the moisture thus damaging the stone. Halite, for example, will turn to powder when even low heat such as from a hair dryer is applied. Sapphire and fluorite change colors when heated. Never use heat to dry a crystal unless you know and want the change that heat will incur.