Tried to clean a calcite sample with vinegar and it went about as well as you'd think

Found this cool calcite piece in a creek bed near Springfield last month, figured I'd give it a quick clean. Poured some white vinegar on it, expecting a little fizz like the internet said. Instead it started bubbling like a science fair volcano and completely dissolved the whole crystal structure in under 5 minutes. I was left with a sad, cloudy lump of rock. Learned the hard way that calcite is calcium carbonate and vinegar is acetic acid, so yeah, a real basic chemical reaction. Anyone have a better method for cleaning minerals that won't eat them?

2 comments

2 Comments

luna61711d ago

Well, that's one way to learn basic chemistry.

adam_anderson611d ago

See this all the time with cooking. People burn something or mess up a recipe, then suddenly understand how heat or ingredients actually work. The best lessons come from screwing up, not reading a manual.