When you are prepping and cleaning a gem or mineral specimen that contains inclusions for example any color of quartz crystals should I be cleaning them and removing the inclusions that are just on the surface for example the red tinting you get towards the tips I forget what the inclusion is called but I’m guessing if I cleaned it with iron out or exotic acid it would make the specimen look better and any inclusions it took off would have been most likely just surface inclusions and not suspended in the actual Crystal also I just want to double-check you do not want to remove things like pyrite or calcite crystals or any other type of species that has grown in your specimen for example I have fluorite cubes with pyrite matrix across a couple sides of the specimen my plan so far for specimens like the fluorite with pyrite is just to wash it with water and a toothbrush but the staining on the porch I’m asking specifically should I be using iron out or exotic acid to remove surface inclusions to make them look cleaner and then trimming them down to be my specimens still on The matrix ideally I’m used to prepping and cleaning specimens in general so any advice would be appreciated greatly thank you
Good question. I was wondering that myself!
Personally I feel it is a matter of the sort of result you are looking for. Obviously caution must be taken with cleaning chemicals as you don’t want to damage the specimen, I also feel that other material like Fluorite or Pyrite add to the character of the specimen and make it more unique and interesting.
Overall ones appreciation of a specimen comes down to what a collector is looking for, so very personal, but exhibiting the work of nature clean but unadulterated is my personal preference.
agree… surface growths and coloration add character to a specimen and shows off its natural state… I clean off the dirt with a toothbrush and dish washing soap…hard specimens can be washed in a dishwasher, That can get rid of residual fine dirt.