kolleamm Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 All the fossils I find are embedded in really hard silt stone, prepping with airscribe takes way to long, is there a substance or chemical that could just dissolve the siltstone away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilshale Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 (edited) All the fossils I find are embedded in really hard silt stone, prepping with airscribe takes way to long, is there a substance or chemical that could just dissolve the siltstone away? Siltstone is a sort of sandstone comprising of grains of quartz usually held together normally by calcium carbonate. So it should be possible to dissolve the calcium carbonate by using acetic acid or muric acid. If it is held together by quartz, you can only dissolve the quartz with hydrofluoric acid. But please do not try this: Hydrofluoric acid is a very dangerous contact poison which can readily penetrate skin and tissue leading to severe pain, blindness, long lasting tissue damages and even cardiac arrest! Thomas PS: Acetic acid and muratic acid is dangerous enough! But don't risk your life and try hydrofluoric acid! Edited October 25, 2010 by oilshale Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes (Confucius, 551 BC - 479 BC). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolleamm Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 Siltstone is a sort of sandstone comprising of grains of quartz usually held together normally by calcium carbonate. So it should be possible to dissolve the calcium carbonate by using acetic acid or muric acid. If it is held together by quartz, you can only dissolve the quartz with hydrofluoric acid. But please do not try this: Hydrofluoric acid is a very dangerous contact poison which can readily penetrate skin and tissue leading to severe pain, blindness, long lasting tissue damages and even cardiac arrest! Thomas PS: Acetic acid and muratic acid is dangerous enough! But don't risk your life and try hydrofluoric acid! thanks i guesss il just drill it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 actually siltstone is a type of shale with a larger than clay sized particles. acid will not work on all siltstone (very little actually.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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