Some fellow collectors and I were sharing stories about our specimens that had fallen victim to time and the elements- brilliant, gem-clear vivianites that became dark and opaque, formerly lustrous marcasites that turned to ashy powder and orpiments and realgars that degraded into little piles of toxic waste. I had my first experience with specimen decay many years ago when I discovered that a pyritized brachiopod I’d self-collected had turned into a brittle and sandy-looking lump- the box I’d kept it in was ruined from the sulfuric acid released as the piece decomposed. Since that time, I’ve collected only those specimens I regard as reasonably stable, and that can be displayed normally without special precautions.
As a collector professing only a modest command of chemistry, I would be very interested to know of others experiences in this regard, and in particular the methods that have been used for preserving reactive species along with any personal observations as to the effectiveness of these methods. Some collectors, for example, swear by preserving their pyrites with a mixture of ammonia and PEG, while others dismiss the practice as dubious. One collector I know of told me that he’s experimenting with an ingredient commonly found in sunscreen in an attempt to stop decay and discoloration from sunlight (how will he know if its worked, I wonder). Do these techniques have merit, or is “keep it dry, out of the sun, and at room temperature” still the best advice?
Many reactive species are commanding very high prices these days, and it would be helpful to have more information about the best means to preserve their beauty and value, or at least be well informed of their pitfalls…
