Judy's Crystals N' Things

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Judy's Crystal Cleaning Area

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Because of the volume of our quartz to be cleaned we use a rather large concrete slab. We use screen, or wire mesh topped tables to allow the clay and dirt to filter down onto the concrete slab so later it can be washed away. We find it benificial to let the points and clusters to dry out between rinses. During the drying process the clay will shrink away from the quartz. This allows the next rinse to easily remove more of the clay. The rinsing and drying process may need to be repeated several times. Once all the clay and dirt has been removed, you may notice iron deposits on your Quartz specimens. It will require Oxalic Acid to remove the iron from the Quartz.

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Your Oxalic Acid Recipe

Mix 1 lb. of acid per 2.5 gallons of water
Use a 5 gallon plastic bucket with a lid*
Let them soak in the sun for a few days
Acid can be reused several times
*[A Lid on your bucket will protect your pets and wildlife, it also helps to keep the sun from diluting your acid mixture.]

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Acid Clean-Up

Neutralize your acid with approximately 1-2 cups of Baking Soda before disposal. Once neutralized it turns into a phosphate mixture that is actually good for your plants. You can now pour harmless mixture onto the ground.