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Post by tortuga on Apr 12, 2010 14:29:31 GMT -5
SO, I came across a tub today with about 8 lbs of white powder in it. The tub is labelled as Tin Oxide, which I was happy, but when I looked closer, there had been written on the tub "this jug also contains 10 lbs of oxalic acid".
This is just stuff left over from a closed lapidary shop. I can't see any reason they would have actually mixed the powders with a valuable powder like tin oxide. I'm guessing the oxalic was in another bag inside the tub or something, but I don't know. Are there any significant differences in oxalic acid vs tin oxide that might help identify what is actually in the tub? Tin oxide I can use, oxalic not so much (at all). The internet just shows piles of white powder.... not the most helpful.
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Apr 12, 2010 14:34:42 GMT -5
don't know for sure but maybe that mix is for polishing calcite or quartz crystals?
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drjo
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Honduran Opal & DIY Nut
Member since May 2008
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Post by drjo on Apr 12, 2010 14:45:02 GMT -5
Mix some in water and add some baking soda, tin oxide won't fizz.
You can use the oxalic acid to remove rust stains from rocks/crystals.
Where's JohnJSGems on this one?
Dr Joe
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Apr 12, 2010 14:49:20 GMT -5
do it outside if you do and I forgot that little trick too!
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Post by tortuga on Apr 12, 2010 15:15:42 GMT -5
Alright, put about a teaspoon of the powder in some water. It didn't seem to dissolve which makes me hopeful it's a polish. Added baking soda and nothing happened.
That confirms the possibility of tin oxide... would the oxalic have fizzed with the baking soda?
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Apr 12, 2010 15:26:10 GMT -5
yes it would have had a reaction by fizzing
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Post by tortuga on Apr 12, 2010 15:35:17 GMT -5
Excellent! Guess I got lucky. Thanks for the chemistry lesson  |
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Post by johnjsgems on Apr 12, 2010 19:27:38 GMT -5
Good job, Dr. Joe. I had a neighbor years ago that diluted "oxylic acid" (don't know if he meant oxalic) in a spray bottle and dampened his polish buffs with it instead of plain water. Never tred it myself but he insisted it made a difference. Only thing I can think of is it might neutralize hard/alkaline water. He claimed it generated more heat.
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Apr 13, 2010 13:16:02 GMT -5
For future reference, oxalic acid tends to be crystalline, even when powdered, whereas I would expect tin oxide to look more like talc.
Regardless, Dr. Joe's trick is definitive.
Chuck
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Post by johnjsgems on Apr 14, 2010 9:38:56 GMT -5
Chuck, I thought of that afterward. Tin Oxide would be like powdered sugar and Oxalic more like granulated sugar.
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Post by tortuga on Apr 14, 2010 9:50:15 GMT -5
the chemical test was more fun than looking at it, I assure you. Gave me a reason to bust out my goggles and feel like I was in school again.
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drjo
fully equipped rock polisher
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Member since May 2008
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Post by drjo on Apr 15, 2010 6:47:10 GMT -5
They wouldn't let me in chemistry class in school!!  (I don't know who tipped them off  ). Dr Joe . |
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drjo
fully equipped rock polisher
Honduran Opal & DIY Nut
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,581
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Post by drjo on Apr 15, 2010 6:48:20 GMT -5
Speaking of school... who remembers the first rule of chemistry class?
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Post by johnjsgems on Apr 15, 2010 8:30:22 GMT -5
The pretty girl that stayed after class always got A's on her tests?
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drjo
fully equipped rock polisher
Honduran Opal & DIY Nut
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,581
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Post by drjo on Apr 16, 2010 19:43:25 GMT -5
That wasn't a rule...that was a given |
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(I don't know who tipped them off 
).
