How To Dissolve Calcite With Muriatic Acid & Expose The Hidden Crystals - A Rockhounding Tutorial

A short how to tutorial showing how I use muriatic acid to dissolve Calcite and expose the hidden crystals that are sealed inside the rock. I you have been thinking of trying this process then this short video is for you. These mineral specimens are from and old abandoned gold mine in the Marmora Ontario area and are full of micro Arsenopyrite Crystals just waiting to be revealed. Soon I will do a video of how I use Iron Out to remove stains from my mineral specimens.
Collect, rockhound, explore, dig and hike at your own risk.

[@Clone604]

Best to wear a respirator as well, even outside.
Another thing I do is use three 2.5 gallon buckets. One with the muriatic acid, one with water and baking soda and the third with small drilled holes in the bottom to put the rocks in. Then you can dip the holey bucket into the muriatic bucket and dip in the second bucket to neutralize. Also makes it simpler to remove from the acid without rushing damage to the crystals.
Love watching your videos and hope to see you in the field some day! Cheers from Ottawa -Gord

[@OffTheBeatenPathCrystals]

Good idea, I like it.

[@meteoriter1647]

nice, the crystals are superb, they look metallic grey in the video, cool

[@meMiner]

Glad you did it outside. The fumes would rot the nails in your garage if you did it there.

[@OffTheBeatenPathCrystals]

When's the next trip???

[@meteoriter1647]

that bad?? wow!

[@silverback5033]

Hi Jeff, that was pretty interesting, though I don’t have any of minerals from my collecting it is valuable to know this can be done. While I have used acids for cleaning various stones, agates, jasper, petrified wood & forrest floor quite often if I find the presence of this kind of reaction I change the acid type so as not to remove the material that might degrade the rock overall.
Hope all is well up there in the Northern Hemisphere. Keep Safe & Keep Rockin

[@jonathanblais-lecuyer8886]

I got a crazy location for you!!!

[@OffTheBeatenPathCrystals]

Where-where-where?

[@terryhayhurst2652]

These are great, we're you southern ? I missed the location

[@OffTheBeatenPathCrystals]

Up in the great white north, Canada.

[@kaboom4679]

Beware the partially used jug of leftover acid .
Muriatic / hydrochloric acid likes to fume / off gas HCL vapors to party with whatever it encounters .
That may be your mucous membranes or , whatever rando metals it encounters .
I use it frequently but if I don't have the ability to keep any excess sealed in at least 2 additional containers , each inside the other , I simply dispose of it rather than deal with the inevitable corrosion headaches .
Besides it's cheap and very easy to come by anyway , at least here in the US and apparently , in Canada . YMMV if you live elsewhere .

[@OffTheBeatenPathCrystals]

Best to get rid of this stuff as soon as your done, the longer it sits the funkier it seems to get.

[@meteoriter1647]

@@OffTheBeatenPathCrystals you're taking the right steps regarding this acid without cutting corners, I like, with hope you should be safe

[@markmanning2921]

Will this dissolve Lapis Lazulai or only the calcite?

[@amusingautomatons2692]

unfortunately HCl will dissolve both the calcite and lazurite in the lapis, leaving only pyrite. might be worth experimenting if the calcite would dissolve faster, leaving some funky lazurite shapes

[@OffTheBeatenPathCrystals]

It's always best to experiment on some piece you don't mind ruining.

[@lisacook3219]

Jeff, next time use cleaning vinegar heated up. It won’t change the colour of the crystals.

[@OffTheBeatenPathCrystals]

I will have to try this. Do you use a hot plate to keep the vinegar hot?

[@lisacook3219]

@@OffTheBeatenPathCrystals crock pot