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Techniques for CollectorsHow to clean this piece of apatite?

26th Jun 2009 17:42 UTCJohn Chen

Many pink apatite crystals be covered in matrix, I think this piece of specimen will look much better after cleaning work. Thanks a lot for sharing your valuable experience!

26th Jun 2009 20:38 UTCRock Currier Expert

Chen,

Can you remove the white material with gentle scraping with a needle? If so you need first to see if high pressure water from one of the little hand held fabric guns will remove some or all of it. Have you tried that simple cleaning method? If that won't work you may want to have some of the white stuff analysied to see what it is. That might then give you a clue as to how to remove it chemically. Apatite isn't all that hard and is a bit delicate so your options are limited when faced with trying to remove tough stuff.

27th Jun 2009 16:58 UTCSteve Hardinger 🌟 Expert

I usually try my ultrasonic cleaner first.

28th Jun 2009 03:38 UTCJohn Chen

Hi Rock, Thanks a lot for sharing your experience!

Rock Currier Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Chen,

> Can you remove the white material with gentle

> scraping with a needle? If so you need first to

> see if high pressure water from one of the little

> hand held fabric guns will remove some or all of

> it. Have you tried that simple cleaning method? If

> that won't work you may want to have some of the

> white stuff analysied to see what it is. That

> might then give you a clue as to how to remove it

> chemically. Apatite isn't all that hard and is a

> bit delicate so your options are limited when

> faced with trying to remove tough stuff.

28th Jun 2009 03:44 UTCJohn Chen

Hi Steve, Thanks a lot for your opinions! Can you introduce more about the ultrasonic cleaner?

Steve Hardinger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I usually try my ultrasonic cleaner first.

28th Jun 2009 16:48 UTCSteve Hardinger 🌟 Expert

Almost every specimen that I purchase for resale or for my personal collection is first cleaned with a powerful ultrasonic cleaner (not a low power jewelry cleaner).

28th Jun 2009 18:15 UTCTim Jokela Jr

Looks to me like the crystals are coated with clinochlore or something similar. Perhaps best removed manually. However, it appears that the coating has messed up the surface quality of the apatites, so even if you spend a lot of time removing it the piece will never look like much. Examination with a low power microscope will tell you what you're dealing with. Whatever you do, avoid using acids.

28th Jun 2009 19:02 UTCAdam Kelly

I agree with Steve about the ultrsonic. I use it on everything thats not water soluble.

1st Jul 2009 16:37 UTCJohn Chen

Hi Tim, Thanks a lot for your valuable opinions!

Tim Jokela Jr Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Looks to me like the crystals are coated with

> clinochlore or something similar. Perhaps best

> removed manually. However, it appears that the

> coating has messed up the surface quality of the

> apatites, so even if you spend a lot of time

> removing it the piece will never look like much.

> Examination with a low power microscope will tell

> you what you're dealing with. Whatever you do,

> avoid using acids.

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