This page mainly exists as a guide for mineral cleaning and preparation. For instance, let’s say you have nice Barite crystals, but they are embedded and covered over by Calcite. From the tables below you would find that Calcite dissolves readily in Hydrochloric Acid, but Barite is unaffected by it. So that acid could be used to etch away the Calcite, exposing the Barite crystals.
| Legend |
| Readily Affected |
| Moderately Affected |
| Slightly Affected |
| Minerals Soluble in Water |
| Carnallite |
Hanksite |
Orpiment |
| Chalcanthite |
Inyoite |
Polyhalite |
| Colemanite |
Kernite |
Sylvite |
| Cryolite |
Melanterite |
Thenardite |
| Greenockite |
Nahcolite |
Trona |
| Halite |
Natron |
Ulexite |
| Halotrichite |
Niter |
|
| Minerals Soluble in Hydrochloric Acid |
| Acanthite |
Franklinite |
Phillipsite |
| Adamite |
Galena |
Polyhalite |
| Aegirine |
Goethite |
Prehnite |
| Allanite |
Gmelinite |
Priceite |
| Amblygonite |
Greenockite |
Psilomelane |
| Analcime |
Gypsum |
Purpurite |
| Andradite |
Halotrichite |
Pyrolusite |
| Anhydrite |
Hanksite |
Pyromorphite |
| Ankerite |
Harmotome |
Rhodochrosite |
| Anorthite |
Hematite |
Rhodonite |
| Apatite |
Hemimorphite |
Rosasite |
| Apophyllite |
Heulandite |
Samarskite |
| Aragonite |
Howlite |
Scheelite |
| Aurichalcite |
Hübnerite |
Scolecite |
| Autunite |
Ilmenite |
Scorodite |
| Azurite |
Ilvaite |
Scorzalite |
| Benitoite |
Inderite |
Serpentine |
| Bismuth |
Inyoite |
Siderite |
| Braunite |
Iron |
Smithsonite |
| Brochantite |
Jarosite |
Sodalite |
| Brucite |
Kernite |
Sphalerite |
| Calcite |
Kurnakovite |
Stibnite |
| Calomel |
Laumontite |
Stilbite |
| Cancrinite |
Lazulite |
Strontianite |
| Carnallite |
Lazurite |
Sylvite |
| Carnotite |
Lepidolite |
Tenorite |
| Cassiterite |
Leucite |
Thenardite |
| Celestine |
Lithiophilite |
Thomsonite |
| Cerussite |
Ludlamite |
Torbernite |
| Cervantite |
Magnesite |
Triphylite |
| Chabazite |
Magnetite |
Triplite |
| Chalcanthite |
Malachite |
Trona |
| Chondrodite |
Manganite |
Turquoise |
| Chrysocolla |
Margarite |
Tyuyamunite |
| Colmanite |
Melanterite |
Uraninite |
| Copper |
Metatorbernite |
Vanadinite |
| Cordierite |
Metazeunerite |
Variscite |
| Covellite |
Meyerhofferite |
Vesuvianite |
| Crocoite |
Mimetite |
Vivianite |
| Cuprite |
Monazite |
Wardite |
| Cyanotrichite |
Mottramite |
Wavellite |
| Datolite |
Nahcolite |
Willemite |
| Descloizite |
Natrolite |
Witherite |
| Dioptase |
Natron |
Wollastonite |
| Dolomite |
Nepheline |
Wulfenite |
| Epidote |
Niter |
Wurtzite |
| Ferberite |
Olivenite |
Zeunerite |
| Fergusonite |
Olivine |
Zincite |
| Fluorite |
Pectolite |
|
| Minerals Unaffected by Hydrochloric Acid |
| Amphibole |
Enstatite |
Pyrite |
| Andalusite |
Gahnite |
Pyrope |
| Andesine |
Gold |
Quartz |
| Antimony |
Graphite |
Riebeckite |
| Arsenic |
Grossular |
Rutile |
| Arsenopyrite |
Hedenbergite |
Sanidine |
| Barite |
Hornblende |
Scapolite |
| Beryl |
Hypersthene |
Sillimanite |
| Bismuthinite |
Kyanite |
Silver |
| Brookite |
Labrodorite |
Spessartine |
| Bytownite |
Löllingite |
Spinel |
| Cerargyrite |
Marcasite |
Spodumene |
| Chalcedony |
Microcline |
Sulfur |
| Chromite |
Millerite |
Talc |
| Chrysoberyl |
Neptunite |
Tantalite |
| Cinnabar |
Niccolite |
Topaz |
| Columbite |
Oligoclase |
Tourmaline |
| Corundrum |
Opal |
Tremolite |
| Cryolite |
Orthoclase |
Xenotime |
| Danburite |
Perovskite |
Zircon |
| Diamond |
Phenakite |
|
| Diaspore |
Platinum |
|
| Minerals Soluble in Sulfuric Acid |
| Acanthite |
Cyanotrichite |
Priceite |
| Adamite |
Descloizite |
Pyromorphite |
| Amblygonite |
Ferberite |
Pyrophyllite |
| Anhydrite |
Fergusonite |
Rhodochrosite |
| Ankerite |
Fluorite |
Rosasite |
| Antimony |
Gahnite |
Rutile |
| Apatite |
Halotrichite |
Samarskite |
| Aragonite |
Hanksite |
Scorodite |
| Arsenic |
Howlite |
Scorzalite |
| Aurichalcite |
Hübnerite |
Siderite |
| Autunite |
Inyoite |
Silver |
| Azurite |
Iron |
Smithsonite |
| Barite |
Kernite |
Sodalite |
| Biotite |
Kurnakovite |
Spinel |
| Bismuth |
Lazulite |
Strontianite |
| Brochantite |
Lithiophilite |
Sylvite |
| Brookite |
Ludlamite |
Tantalite |
| Brucite |
Magnesite |
Thenardite |
| Calaverite |
Malachite |
Topaz |
| Calcite |
Manganite |
Torbernite |
| Carnallite |
Melanterite |
Triphylite |
| Carnotite |
Metatorbernite |
Triplite |
| Celestine |
Metazeunerite |
Trona |
| Cerussite |
Meyerhofferite |
Tyuyamunite |
| Chalcanthite |
Mimetite |
Uraninite |
| Chlorite |
Molybdenite |
Vivianite |
| Chrysocolla |
Monazite |
Wardite |
| Clinochlore |
Mottramite |
Wavellite |
| Columbite |
Nahcolite |
Willemite |
| Copper |
Natron |
Witherite |
| Covellite |
Niter |
Wulfenite |
| Crocoite |
Olivenite |
Xenotime |
| Cryolite |
Perovskite |
Zeunerite |
| Cuprite |
Phlogopite |
Zincite |
| Minerals Unaffected by Sulfuric Acid |
| Amphibole |
Diaspore |
Opal |
| Andalusite |
Enstatite |
Orthoclase |
| Andesine |
Epidote |
Phenakite |
| Arsenopyrite |
Gold |
Platinum |
| Beryl |
Graphite |
Pyrite |
| Bismuthinite |
Grossular |
Pyrope |
| Bytownite |
Hedenbergite |
Quartz |
| Calomel |
Hornblende |
Riebeckite |
| Cassiterite |
Hypersthene |
Sanidine |
| Cerargyrite |
Kyanite |
Scapolite |
| Cervantite |
Labrodorite |
Sillimanite |
| Chalcedony |
Löllingite |
Spessartine |
| Chromite |
Marcasite |
Spodumene |
| Chrysoberyl |
Microcline |
Sulfur |
| Cinnabar |
Millerite |
Talc |
| Corundrum |
Neptunite |
Tourmaline |
| Danburite |
Niccolite |
Tremolite |
| Diamond |
Oligoclase |
Zircon |
| Minerals Soluble in Nitric Acid |
| Amblygonite |
Enargite |
Pyrargyrite |
| Anhydrite |
Galena |
Pyrite |
| Antimony |
Halotrichite |
Pyromorphite |
| Apatite |
Hanksite |
Realgar |
| Aragonite |
Howlite |
Rhodochrosite |
| Argentite |
Inyoite |
Rosasite |
| Arsenic |
Iron |
Samarskite |
| Arsenopyrite |
Kernite |
Scheelite |
| Aurichalsite |
Kurnakovite |
Scorodite |
| Autunite |
Lazulite |
Scorzalite |
| Azurite |
Linarite |
Siderite |
| Bismuth |
Lithiophilite |
Silver |
| Bismuthinite |
Ludlamite |
Smaltite |
| Bornite |
Magnesite |
Smithsonite |
| Bournonite |
Malachite |
Sphalerite |
| Breithauptite |
Marcasite |
Stibnite |
| Brochantite |
Melanterite |
Strontianite |
| Brucite |
Metatorbernite |
Sylvanite |
| Calcite |
Metazeunerite |
Sylvite |
| Celedonite |
Meyerhofferite |
Tennantite |
| Calomel |
Millerite |
Tenorite |
| Carnallite |
Mimetite |
Tetrahedrite |
| Carnotite |
Molybdenite |
Thenardite |
| Cassiterite |
Monazite |
Torbernite |
| Celestite |
Mottramite |
Triphylite |
| Cerussite |
Nahcolite |
Trona |
| Chalcanthite |
Natron |
Tyuyamunite |
| Chalcocite |
Nickel-Iron |
Uraninite |
| Chalcopyrite |
Niter |
Vanadinite |
| Chrysocolla |
Olivenite |
Vivianite |
| Colbaltite |
Orpiment |
Wardite |
| Copper |
Pentlandite |
Wavellite |
| Covellite |
Petzite |
Witherite |
| Crocoite |
Phosgenite |
Wulfenite |
| Cuprite |
Polybasite |
Wurtzite |
| Cyanotrichite |
Priceite |
Zeuenrite |
| Descloizite |
Proustite |
Zincite |
| Minerals Unaffected by Nitric Acid |
| Amphibole |
Fergusonite |
Pyrolusite |
| Andalusite |
Gahnite |
Pyrope |
| Andesine |
Gold |
Quartz |
| Barite |
Graphite |
Riebeckite |
| Beryl |
Grossular |
Rutile |
| Brookite |
Hedenbergite |
Sanidine |
| Bytownite |
Hornblende |
Scapolite |
| Cerargyrite |
Hypersthene |
Sillimanite |
| Cervantite |
Kyanite |
Spessartine |
| Chalcedony |
Labrodorite |
Spinel |
| Chromite |
Löllingite |
Spodumene |
| Chrysoberyl |
Metacinnabar |
Sulfur |
| Cinnabar |
Microcline |
Talc |
| Columbite |
Neptunite |
Tantalite |
| Corundum |
Niccolite |
Topaz |
| Cryolite |
Oligoclase |
Tourmaline |
| Danburite |
Opal |
Tremolite |
| Diamond |
Orthoclase |
Xenotime |
| Diaspore |
Perovskite |
Zircon |
| Enstaitite |
Phenakite |
|
| Epidote |
Platinum |
|
please sent solubility of Franklinite in aqua regia
I was not able to locate any information on Franklinite in aqua regia (or in nitric acid), but it is at least moderately dissolved in hydrochloric acid. Since aqua regia is a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric, I think is is safe to assume “moderately to readily dissolved”.
Is there any plan to include solubility in HNO3 (Nitric Acid) . Many minerals are insoluble in HCl and H2SO4 but are readily soluble in HNO3. When properly used, with PPE HNO3 is no more dangerous than HCl or H2SO4.
Yes. I have a source for that info – just need to transcribe it into HTML.
HNO3 data is posted!
Do you have mineral solubility data for hydrofluoric acid?
My original source for this does list hydroflouric acid, but I do not plan to add it here. That is some seriously nasty stuff and I would not recommend messing with it. First, it’s the only acid that can eat through glass. Second, the HF molecule is so small (one hydrogen atom bonded to one fluorine atom) that closing any container tightly enough is almost impossible. In fact, the molecule is so small it can pass right through skin and muscle and then start to attack the calcium carbonate in your bones. If you think having your bones dissolved from the inside out is bad, you’d be correct. I actually ordered some from a chemical supplier many years ago, when I was far more foolish. It came in a plastic bottle, sealed inside a thick plastic zip-lock bag, surrounded by vermiculite (an absorbent), inside another sealed plastic bag, inside a plastic-lined metal can. Even with all that, the metal can started corroding in about month. I quickly neutralized and disposed of it. No mineral specimen is worth your life.
Hey Matt. Is there a source for this information available somewhere or is all of this done empirically?
The main source is referenced in the comment below. The few minerals not in the original work are compiled from various web sites.
what’s the source for this information?
It is mainly from a long out-of-print book: “Prospecting for Gemstones and Minerals” by John Sinkankas, copyright 1961. I have added a few minerals not in the book from various other sources.
The only thing I don’t see on her is Muscovite
The only info I have on Muscovite is that is dissolves moderately well in hydrofluoric acid. However, I would not mess with that acid.
Hi, is there any chance you can add data for Retgersite and Antlerite?
Probably not. If you can’t find it online, then I likely can not either. On the other hand, if you do find it, let me know and I will add them.