IDMineralSurveys Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 My basic cleaning is with hot water and Ivory soap with soft bristeled toothbrush ...gets the biggest amount of dirt brown clay stains off the gold and quartz. Looks very natural. Later I use about 5-7 days soak in white vinegar to slightly brighten the contrast between gold/quartz on some pieces. Still natural looking. Lastly, if it's a piece for jewelry and going for high contrast, at Lunk's recommendation - I've used the HF Whink for 3 day soak then 3 days in baking soda solution. Results are brilliant white quartz, gold is bright. Like Steve mentions, even low %HF solutions are extremely dangerous and must be wearing protection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldseeker5000 Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 Hydrofluoric acid will disolve quartz. It probably won't when put into wink as the potency is diluted, but you still should reduce the time you leave it in it. I have worked with hydrofluoric acid and I came about an inch from getting it on my arm. At that close call, I swore I would never use it again. I was disolving quartz and arsenopyrite (arsenic) off of a specimen. The stuff I used was a mix of hydrofluoric and nitric acid. Hydrofluoric acid will disolve glass as well as quartz. I have a chapter on this in my book, The Nugget Shooter's Field Guide. Muratic acid won't change the texture of the quartz specimen but will strip all coloration out of it. Manganese, iron etc... It will turn rose quartz snow white. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klunker Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 I roll them into the back of my truck and take them to the local car wash. But this forums past threads probably have better advise than me. I do highly recommend the white vinegar and salt for smooth worn placer nuggets 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C... Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 On 6/16/2020 at 8:22 AM, flakmagnet said: I don't do anything at all. They're fine the way they are. Ditto besides that they weigh less after cleaning Mike C... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flakmagnet Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 1 hour ago, Mike C... said: besides that they weigh less after cleaning …or in the case of mine, they may disappear entirely... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrbeatty Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 Campervan toothbrush and toothpaste, same one I use on me. I prefer my gold like my oysters, au natural. :) 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Herschbach Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 On 6/17/2020 at 3:54 AM, Goldseeker5000 said: Hydrofluoric acid will disolve quartz. It probably won't when put into wink as the potency is diluted, but you still should reduce the time you leave it in it. I have worked with hydrofluoric acid and I came about an inch from getting it on my arm. At that close call, I swore I would never use it again. I was disolving quartz and arsenopyrite (arsenic) off of a specimen. The stuff I used was a mix of hydrofluoric and nitric acid. Hydrofluoric acid will disolve glass as well as quartz. I have a chapter on this in my book, The Nugget Shooter's Field Guide. Muratic acid won't change the texture of the quartz specimen but will strip all coloration out of it. Manganese, iron etc... It will turn rose quartz snow white. Whink will dissolve quartz as well as high potency HF, but it takes months instead of minutes. I’ve stuck my finger in the stuff... they sell it in grocery stores. It works on stuff other acids won’t touch, but will frost the quartz or feldspar if left more than 12 overnight so you do need to watch it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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