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Let's Rock => Crystals => Topic started by: abdullahmasede on April 27, 2021, 06:40:17 AM
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Hello all,
First of all thank you for accepting me in to the group. My name is Abdullah and I am from Pakistan. I am an Automotive detailer by profession.
Now coming to the topic.
I received two Quartz crystal clusters from a neighbor. He said can see if you can clean them somehow since you are a detailer and you have cleaning chemicals and you can keep these two clusters. So I agreed. I guess he is new to the crystal trade. Now I know that people are using Iron out, from the research I did online, and oxalic acid to clean crystals but both of them are not available here. Oxalic acid you can not buy over the counter. I use Iron and rust remover all the time in my detailing but he said to find something cheaper as they are expensive here. So I submerged on crystal in toilet cleaner, it ingredients are Conc. HCL 30%... Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulphonic acid(LABSA-96%) 10%.... Citric acid 5%.... Water 55%.
Now it did clean the crystal but made it yellow.
So what should I do now? I am attaching the pictures of both the crystal clusters. One is still untouched. I was thinking of submerging that on in vinegar first.. and what do you guy think about sulfuric acid? And can anyone tell what kind of quartz are these?
Thank you for your help
Stay safe,
Abdullah.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210427/031f892b58cd5356dffe2a2a081a5df4.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210427/d1f0f09426b950f18ccd36eaadee18af.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210427/cb0a1916d9aff0ef7d078a111a000eee.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210427/507997898aa5249ad7e89ba17a417b42.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210427/598c1a58931bb94ad49df8ac1167f862.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210427/bd9c6e72c875eeb3f802748f5a171858.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210427/4dba7105123d4e1dd0b709361eaab717.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210427/bde452802c9ada0b7048d8b6a3d3325a.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210427/9f87c2eedc8153ad04e07ce3ed6ab593.jpg)
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I have cleaned a lot of quartz with oxalic acid and leaving it in the solution after the solution has dissolved some iron is always a risk. Normally when the solution shows iron I rinse and use a fresh acid bath but that can get expensive.Warming the acid can help it's effectiveness but heating acid over a flame or intense heat source is risky.In addition watch how much you breathe the fumes and never use hydroflouric acid as it's fumes can dissolve your lungs.
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I have cleaned a lot of quartz with oxalic acid and leaving it in the solution after the solution has dissolved some iron is always a risk. Normally when the solution shows iron I rinse and use a fresh acid bath but that can get expensive.Warming the acid can help it's effectiveness but heating acid over a flame or intense heat source is risky.In addition watch how much you breathe the fumes and never use hydroflouric acid as it's fumes can dissolve your lungs.
Is there a way to remove these marks? And vinegar help ?
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I would not use sulfuric at all. Weakened Hydrochloric like toilet bowl cleaner works well. Not sure if you can buy Muriatic acid Basically the same thing but sold by stores for pools. Looking at the pictures the yellow is just in areas where there is still some host. Since the acid turns yellow with use I must ask if you neutralized the acid with some baking soda mixed with water. I dental pick could remove some of those areas. Not sure if Neutralizing the piece could get rid of some of the yellow staining.
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If I recall my chemistry basics, its important to remember that acids do no remove metal, but rather they change the metals into salts . Sometimes those salts are easy to wash away and sometimes they are as bad as the original stain. Normally moving toward a weaker acid is beneficial in producing a more soluble salt (as suggested above). Dilute acids like Muriatic are preferable and safer than sulphuric acid. Oxalic acid is a good recommendation.