Using Vinegar to test for calcite, Aragonite & Limestone in sedimentary fossil rocks!

Testing for susceptible carbonate minerals can be done safely and inexpensively at home with vinegar or even lemon juice! To use these mild acids You will only be able to test for the inclusion or absence of the most highly reactive minerals in the carbonate family; Calcite, Aragonite (same chemical composition which takes a different crystallographic form), Limestone (made primarily of calcite and sometime aragonite very small sea shells) and Marble (metamorphic calcite rock). This can be extremely useful for a quick identification as well as ruling out the aforementioned crystals and rocks as many crystal doppelgangers exist, particularly selenite (a gem grade, transparent and often rhombohedral and reflective crystal) and limestone can be replaced with other, less reactive carbonate such as Dolomite (In fact, it's difficult to get a reaction from Dolomite even if you use HCl and powder the mineral first), Siderite (iron carbonate) and more. Furthermore, Limestone can be altered and replaced by Phosphates such as Fluorapatite and Hydroxylapatite and even iron oxides such as Hematite, Sulfides such as Pyrite and Sulfates such as Barite or even Gypsum. A simple vinegar test will indicate whether you have original, un altered or metamorphosed limestone or marble.


You can check out more of my vinegar testing videos where I incorporate a wide variety of specimen types that you might find in the field. In addition, I post hydrogen peroxide testing videos which are much less known, really cool when they react and indicate the presence of metallic ore, often as Sulfides and the presence of biogenic material (aka Fossils!!!). 


This video is the first part of a four part series filmed at Manifest Ranch Colorado, where all my minerals are sourced, and showcase two experiments with industrial grade 75% vinegar and hydrogen peroxide on the same batch of specimens which have been found on the surface of the ground! 90% of the ranch rocks are sedimentary in origin and most have undergone multiple phases of metamorphism. 

Important Safety Precautions!!!!!
Just because it's a household product does not mean that safety precautions should not be put in place such as eye protection and gloves.

Thanks,
Micki B.
Certified Gemologist

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#phosphates

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#geology