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 |