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Post by miket on Jun 25, 2018 11:09:51 GMT -5
So I've had some rocks soaking for about a week in an oxalic acid solution. When I pulled them out today there was a two-inch crystal in the bottom of the bucket. I'm wondering if this is a mineral pulled out of the rocks that formed together or the acid clumping together. Anyone know? Attachments:
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Post by drocknut on Jun 25, 2018 11:12:02 GMT -5
No idea but that is weird
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Post by fernwood on Jun 25, 2018 11:16:01 GMT -5
What kind of bucket were they soaking in? You might have caused a chemical reaction between the bucket, acid and minerals in the rocks.
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lookatthat
Cave Dweller 
Whatever there is to be found.
Member since May 2017
Posts: 1,360 
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Post by lookatthat on Jun 25, 2018 11:35:56 GMT -5
That is a beautiful crystal. What kind of rocks, what kind of bucket? I want to make some.  |
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Post by miket on Jun 25, 2018 12:06:15 GMT -5
They were soaking in a plastic Folgers can. I obviously stayed away from metal...
Mostly agates, I think, I can't really remember. They're soaking in water now- I'll have to take a look. Just not real interested in picking it up with my bare hands if it's just acid clumped together!
But it really is a beautiful crystal, isn't it?
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 25, 2018 12:18:45 GMT -5
I would say it has nothing to do with the type of rocks, or the bucket you were soaking them in, and everything to do with the oxalic acid itself crystallizing out of the solution as water evaporated. Assuming you followed directions to make the acid using oxalic acid crystals, dissolving them in water until no more would dissolve?
Sorta like super saturated sugar water making crystal (rock candy) when you suspend a string in it.
I have had crystals form when soft rocks dissolved in vinegar, and then reassembled and grew on other substrates as the vinegar evaporated. That large crystal looks like crystalized oxalic acid. Okay to look at, but I would not handle it.
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Post by HankRocks on Jun 25, 2018 12:20:10 GMT -5
How much Oxalic acid did you put in how much water? I have seen Oxalic crystalize in the bottom of soaking buckets, especially if the solution was super saturated. Is the crystal soft and easy to break? if so it's probably Oxalic.
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Post by HankRocks on Jun 25, 2018 12:23:54 GMT -5
Just googled Oxalic Crystals and a few just like yours came up.
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Post by HankRocks on Jun 25, 2018 12:42:44 GMT -5
I got away from using Oxalic Acid to clean my Arkansas Quartz Crystals as there are some potential health risks associated with prolonged exposure. I switched to Iron Out and even though it does take longer, it seems to be just as effective. That and I can buy it from several local stores.
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Post by miket on Jun 25, 2018 12:55:35 GMT -5
Yeah, apparently it was indeed acid crystals. I came home for lunch and it was dissolved. I'll probably just stick to iron out in the future, just to be safe. Thanks for the replies!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 25, 2018 13:29:14 GMT -5
A different kind of crystal growth.  This was a rock covered in caliche (pretty alkaline, like much of the southwest) that I had placed in a bowl and soaked in vinegar (mildly acidic). The caliche was dissolved, then, as the liquid evaporated, it precipitated out onto the upper surfaces of the rock. Of course, the fuzzy growths are pretty insubstantial and fragile, not like rock crystal at all. It happens pretty quickly, like in only a week's time. This was waiting for me when we got home from Quartzsite in 2012. (If you have never been to Q, here is a photo report of that trip - forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/52974 .) I like to revisit old threads like that simply for nostalgia factor and to reminesce. Photo links have already been fixed, no longer hosted on PB. I added some red food coloring to the next vinegar soak, got red crystals! |
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Post by miket on Jun 25, 2018 14:13:08 GMT -5
Very interesting!
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