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GneissWare
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 1287
Location: California
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 Posted: Jan 13, 2019 18:13 Post subject: Re: Help! how to remove build up from citrine geode |
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| ed7232004 wrote: |
To what you r saying this is a heated amethyst? Not a citrine? |
Yes. See my comment earlier today. |
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Bob Harman
Joined: 06 Nov 2015
Posts: 765
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| Posted: Jan 13, 2019 18:17 Post subject: Re: Help! how to remove build up from citrine geode |
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Did you not know this????? I think most of us thought you knew this. YES YOUR SPECIMEN IS HEAT TREATED AMETHYST from Brazil. It is considered citrine, but artificially created from heat treating Brazilian amethyst specimens. All very, very common.
And as this thread has continued to go on, I will repeat how you should attempt to remove the area of crust. I should note that I have 30+ years of cleaning Indiana specimens and have gotten quite good with lots of experience.
First soak in water a day or two. Then get rid of the excess water and put some vinegar on the crust areas. Leave there about 1/2 hour. If the crust is a carbonate, it will largely disappear. If the crust is a silicate, the vinegar will basically have no effect. Rinse well after the vinegar then use a hi pressure cleaning gun to mechanically remove the crust. NO other chemicals as they might damage the quartz and even the backside of your specimen (which no one has mentioned) if the chemicals splash onto the backside.
This should do it. BOB |
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ed7232004
Joined: 12 Jan 2019
Posts: 33
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Jan 13, 2019 18:47 Post subject: Re: Help! how to remove build up from citrine geode |
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| Bob Harman wrote: | Did you not know this????? I think most of us thought you knew this. YES YOUR SPECIMEN IS HEAT TREATED AMETHYST from Brazil. It is considered citrine, but artificially created from heat treating Brazilian amethyst specimens. All very, very common.
And as this thread has continued to go on, I will repeat how you should attempt to remove the area of crust. I should note that I have 30+ years of cleaning Indiana specimens and have gotten quite good with lots of experience.
First soak in water a day or two. Then get rid of the excess water and put some vinegar on the crust areas. Leave there about 1/2 hour. If the crust is a carbonate, it will largely disappear. If the crust is a silicate, the vinegar will basically have no effect. Rinse well after the vinegar then use a hi pressure cleaning gun to mechanically remove the crust. NO other chemicals as they might damage the quartz and even the backside of your specimen (which no one has mentioned) if the chemicals splash onto the backside.
This should do it. BOB |
Got you thank you. Yes I m aware. I wasnt thinking right lol. I was think it is a heated citrine, not a heated amethyst. But it make sense now as most citrine out there are heated amethyst. Definitely will try the vinegar method tonight. Due to unbalanced surfaces. I will almost have to soak the entire bottom of the geode into vinegar. Hopefully nothing cracks or damaged during this process as this is the least harmful way.. |
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ed7232004
Joined: 12 Jan 2019
Posts: 33
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Jan 13, 2019 21:21 Post subject: Re: Help! how to remove build up from citrine geode |
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| been soaking the entire bottom in vinegar for about an hour now, used a brass brush to brush it off but no luck. doesnt look like calicium at this point. unless it needs to be soak for longer time..i will wait for a day or two while vinegar work its magic. if not then i might just have to give up on the crust or bring it to local shop and let the expert do their jobs lol |
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Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4248
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Jan 14, 2019 02:05 Post subject: Re: Help! how to remove build up from citrine geode |
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| ed7232004 wrote: | | [...]Yes I m aware. I wasnt thinking right lol. I was think it is a heated citrine, not a heated amethyst. But it make sense now as most citrine out there are heated amethyst[...] |
And you should not forget that real citrine is actually pale yellow (most natural citrines look like a smoky quartz with a slight yellow touch) and not that orange ...
And I'm also with GneissWare and Kevin: Think twice if the white coating really disturbs you. It adds contrast and gives the specimen a more "natural" look. As was said before, these heat-treated amethysts from Brazil or Uruguay are very very very common material, even in large sizes, so this white coating makes it at least somehow special.
Just my two cents :)
Regards
Tobi |
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ed7232004
Joined: 12 Jan 2019
Posts: 33
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Jan 16, 2019 16:53 Post subject: Re: Help! how to remove build up from citrine geode |
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| Hi guys! Thanks for all your responses! I was able to touch base with my local gem society. They were able to allow me to use an air abrasive tool with glass beads. That tool is amazing and I was able to blast off all the white crust without damaging any quartz! |
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