How to grow minerals at home?

Growing ruby ​​crystals at home is available to everyone. The work does not require an equipped laboratory, obtaining theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of mineralogy, or purchasing special chemical reagents. Everything you need can be found in the kitchen.

Home experimentation

It is advised to start growing rubies with small volumes. First, experience is gained, the whole process is understood, and then direct systematic work begins. Synthetic creation of your own hands will not be inferior in beauty and attractiveness to natural minerals. Gemstones are in demand among jewelers, so a successful experience can bring additional income if you find a sales market.

There are several ways to grow. They advise you to try all the options, then stop at the one you like.

Artificial precious rocks, created by man, do not differ from natural ones in chemical content and physical properties. The advantage of home technology is that it allows you to create perfectly clean breeds. In nature, this happens extremely rarely. The gem quality of laboratory samples is quite good. Another plus of the mineral is its cost. The stones are cheaper than their originals, which originate in deep mines.

Organic salts

It is easy to grow a ruby ​​crystal from various salts:

• copper sulfate;
• potassium alum;
• ordinary salt.

The longest salt-based process, the most beautiful specimens are obtained from vitriol. The production of ruby ​​crystals is based on the following stages:

1. Preparing the container. It should hold salt and a saturated saline solution. Take hot water. The process is gradual. Dilute two tablespoons with water, mix thoroughly. Then add salt and mix. you need to sprinkle until the salt stops dissolving. To comply with the proportions, they take a hint: a table of the solubility of different salts in 100 ml of water, their relationship with the temperature of the liquid.
2. Filtration of the solution. The solution must be clean. Dirt impurities will spoil the structure of the stone. Defects will be visible in it. The solution remains for 24 hours. During this period, crystals form at the bottom of the tank. They will form the basis of the ruby.
3. Artificial mineral growth. A fishing line is tied to the stone formed at the bottom of the glass. It is wrapped around a pencil or wooden stick. The device is installed on the container. The crystal is suspended in solution. Water tends to evaporate, a saturated saline solution releases excess, which is fixed on the resulting sample.
4. Adding salt solution. Water always needs a certain amount, if it becomes too little, the crystal will stop growing. At normal room temperature, water is added every 2 weeks.

To get rubies at home, you will have to wait about 3 months. Then the stone is freed from the saline solution, dried with a soft napkin. The sample is covered with colorless nail polish in several layers.

Advice from experienced crystal makers. The salt solution must be at the same temperature as the water in the container. The crystal grows even at a slightly lower temperature, but high rises in solutions spoil and stop growth.

Apparatus for work at home

To create rubies at home, you need an apparatus named after its creator, Verneuil. The inventor's technique allows to grow a ruby ​​weighing 30 carats in 3 hours.The technology has made it possible to create the precious material in the right quantity. Industrial facilities began to actively implement the development of Verneuil. Time has made its own adjustments, and today such a device is easily assembled at home. Components of the device:

• cathetometer;
• shaking mechanism;
• bunker;
• burner;
• muffle;
• growing crystal;
• crystal holder;
• crystal lowering mechanism.

The device is used for growing not only rubies. Often, blue topaz, emeralds and stones with a translucent transparent structure are created in the device.

Home production process:

1. Powder is poured into the hopper through a funnel. The composition of the powder is Al2O3, the additional component is Cr2O3.
2. The burner supplies the flame to the bottom of the hopper.
3. The powder starts to melt.
4. The layers of molten powder are a growing ruby ​​crystal.

Through the lowering mechanism, the artificial mineral moves downward. Various shades can be obtained in the device. The rate of crystal formation is higher than in the container. It only takes 3 hours to admire the ruby. One sample requires the following component volumes:

• 6 g Al2O3;
• 0.2 g Cr2O.

Untreated crystalline formations are extraordinary in shape. They are originally similar to natural ones, but at the same time they are always unique.

At first glance, working with the device is difficult and painstaking. In fact, a device invented by a French inventor over 100 years ago will not pose any particular problems. It is assembled from parts that practical people have on the farm. Making an apparatus and purchasing powder are the main stages of preparation.

Economic calculations

Home technology is always cheaper. You can calculate the cost of all components, costs, and determine the approximate cost of the resulting samples. What is ruby ​​taken into account:

• the cost of parts of the device;
• electricity costs;
• the price for the purchase of powders for the base of the crystal.

Even approximate calculations will show the benefits. The cost of all the components will not be even 500 rubles. For that kind of money, it is difficult to buy a ruby ​​jewelry of a beautiful appearance and excellent quality. The process should not intimidate domestic experimenters with legitimacy. Natural minerals are regulated by the state, synthetic ones are not subject to documents. If a decision is made to open a small production, it should be registered in accordance with the established procedure. The soul will be in place, the work will only bring satisfaction.

> A gem that you create yourself will become a pride. The craftsman will gradually learn to change the shades of rubies. The next step will be to creatively work on the resulting samples, transforming them into interior design items and original decorations.

natural rhinestone crystals

CONTENT

• How to grow a crystal from salt
• How to grow a crystal from sugar
• How to grow a copper sulfate crystal
• How to grow a potassium alum crystal

Crystals of minerals are found everywhere in nature. Special conditions are needed for their education. For example, a rock granite comprises crystals of quartz, feldspar and mica, which crystallized one after another when the magma cooled.

Beautiful hexagonal crystals of rock crystal have grown from hot aqueous solutions saturated with silica SiO2.

natural sulfur crystals

Rhombic yellow crystals sulfur grew from hydrogen sulfide waters of hot springs and geysers.

On the shores of salt lakes and seas, one can see cubic crystals of rock salt - halite; white, red, yellow and even blue crystals of carnallite and mirabilite.

Diamonds, the hardest crystals, formed under tremendous pressure in the so-called explosion tubes (kimberlite tubes).

So, nature has created and continues to create crystals of minerals. Can we see the mystery of crystal growth? Can we grow them ourselves? Yes of course we can. And now I will tell you how to do it at home.

HOW TO GROW A SALT CRYSTAL

Grown Salt Crystals

In order to grow crystals of table (rock) salt (halite - NaCl), you need to put a container of water on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Then remove the container from the stove and dissolve the usual salt from the pack in it. Continuously stirring the solution, add salt until you notice that it no longer dissolves.

The resulting salty solution must be filtered and poured into a flat dish, for example, in a saucer. The water will cool down and begin to evaporate, and at the edges of the saucer and at its bottom you will see transparent cubes of the correct shape - these are crystals of rock salt, halite.

You can grow a large crystal, or several large cubic crystals. To do this, a woolen thread should be lowered into the container in which you dissolved the salt. When the solution cools, it will be covered with salt cubes. The slower the solution cools, the more regular crystals will have. After a while, growth will stop.

To grow one large crystal, you need to choose the most correct one from the many crystals formed at the bottom, put it on the bottom of a clean glass, and pour the solution from the previous dish on top.

Rest is necessary for the growth of the right crystals. Do not shake or move a table or shelf on which a container with growing crystals stands.

HOW TO GROW A SUGAR CRYSTAL

You can grow sugar crystals in the same way as salt crystals. Sugar crystals can also be grown on wooden sticks and can be a beautiful addition to any festive sweet dish. Food colors added to the solution will color the sugar in all the colors of the rainbow.

Sugar crystals

Below is a complete instruction, how to grow sugar crystals on sticks.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM COPPER CORE

Copper sulfate is sold in shops for gardeners, from it, and from slaked lime, they prepare "Bordeaux liquid" to protect plants from fungi and various diseases.

To grow a crystal of copper sulfate (Cu SO4 * 5H2O)  the correct form, you should dissolve powdered copper sulfate in water at a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius. At higher temperatures, the solubility of copper sulfate decreases. Dissolve the powder until dissolution stops. At the end of the wire or woolen thread we attach a seed - a small crystal of the same copper sulfate. Where can I get it? You can look for a larger crystal in the same bag from which you poured vitriol into the water. If this is not found, leave your solution to cool, and after a while you will see small crystals at the bottom.

Pick one and tie (or glue) it to a wire or thread. Filter the solution. Then dip the prepared seed (crystal on thread) into it. Never immerse the seed in a hot solution! The seed can simply dissolve. A large crystal of copper sulfate grows for several weeks. The crystal, grown to the desired size, must be varnished, since the moisture contained in the air will eventually lead to its melting and destruction.

You can grow in an easy way beautiful copper crystals... A detailed description of the process can be found in the detailed article "How to Grow Copper Crystals".

Iron sulfate crystals are grown in a similar way, a detailed article about this can be read by following the link in this proposal.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM POTASSIUM ALUM

grown crystals of potassium alum

Potassium alum (KAI 2 * 12H2O - mineral alunite) are sold in the pharmacy in powder form. This is a good remedy that "dries the skin" and kills pathogens, this substance does not cause allergies and it is not toxic. Good crystals can be grown from potassium alum powder. Dissolve alum in warm water until saturation and filter the solution.After a few days in a calm place at room temperature, small crystals will appear at the bottom of the container.

potassium alum (burnt alum) can be bought at the pharmacy

From these crystals, you need to choose several pieces of the correct shape and place them in another container. Then they are poured with the same solution. You can hang the seeds on thin threads (they can be glued to the thread with durable waterproof glue). Once every two to three days, the crystals must be transferred to a new glass, and the solution must be filtered and the growing crystals must be poured over again. Alum crystals grown to the required size should be varnished so that they do not melt from moisture in the air and do not lose their shape.

It is desirable to prepare solutions for growing crystals with distilled water.

At home, you can get an artificial malachiteusing copper sulfate and washing soda, but it will not be beautiful crystals or an openwork patterned stone, but a green or dirty green sediment at the bottom of the vessel (powder). Beautiful malachite, which practically does not differ from natural, can be obtained only on industrial equipment.

The factories also grow crystals of many minerals. But at home it is impossible to repeat this, for this you need special equipment. Most crystals (quartz, amethyst, ruby, emerald, diamonds, malachite, garnets, etc.) are grown in cast iron autoclaves under high pressure. Temperatures reach 500-1000 degrees, and pressure - 3000 atmospheres.

Crystal Growing Kits

crystal growing kit

Now in toy stores, in large cities, kits for growing crystals have appeared on sale. From powders dihydrogen phosphate of ammonium and potassium, to which dyes are added, interesting prismatic and needle crystals can be grown. In order for the crystals to be large and beautiful enough, you must strictly follow the attached instructions.

Strange, but the instructions in the box shown in the photo do not indicate which chemical is used to grow the crystals and which dye is used. Otherwise, it is quite detailed.

Growing ruby ​​crystals at home is available to everyone. The work does not require an equipped laboratory, obtaining theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of mineralogy, or purchasing special chemical reagents. Everything you need can be found in the kitchen.

Home experimentation

It is advised to start growing rubies with small volumes. First, experience is gained, the whole process is understood, and then direct systematic work begins. Synthetic creation of your own hands will not be inferior in beauty and attractiveness to natural minerals. Gemstones are in demand among jewelers, so a successful experience can bring additional income if you find a sales market.

There are several ways to grow. They advise you to try all the options, then stop at the one you like.

Artificial precious rocks, created by man, do not differ from natural ones in chemical content and physical properties. The advantage of home technology is that it allows you to create perfectly clean breeds. In nature, this happens extremely rarely. The gem quality of laboratory samples is quite good. Another plus of the mineral is its cost. The stones are cheaper than their originals, which originate in deep mines.

Organic salts

It is easy to grow a ruby ​​crystal from various salts:

• copper sulfate;
• potassium alum;
• ordinary salt.

The longest salt-based process, the most beautiful specimens are obtained from vitriol. The production of ruby ​​crystals is based on the following stages:

1. Preparing the container. It should hold salt and a saturated saline solution. Take hot water. The process is gradual. Dilute two tablespoons with water, mix thoroughly.Then add salt and mix. you need to sprinkle until the salt stops dissolving. To comply with the proportions, they take a hint: a table of the solubility of different salts in 100 ml of water, their relationship with the temperature of the liquid.
2. Filtration of the solution. The solution must be clean. Dirt impurities will spoil the structure of the stone. Defects will be visible in it. The solution remains for 24 hours. During this period, crystals form at the bottom of the tank. They will form the basis of the ruby.
3. Artificial mineral growth. A fishing line is tied to the stone formed at the bottom of the glass. It is wrapped around a pencil or wooden stick. The device is installed on the container. The crystal is suspended in solution. Water tends to evaporate, a saturated saline solution releases excess, which is fixed on the resulting sample.
4. Adding salt solution. Water always needs a certain amount, if it becomes too little, the crystal will stop growing. At normal room temperature, water is added every 2 weeks.

To get rubies at home, you will have to wait about 3 months. Then the stone is freed from the saline solution, dried with a soft napkin. The sample is covered with colorless nail polish in several layers.

Advice from experienced crystal makers. The salt solution must be at the same temperature as the water in the container. The crystal grows even at a slightly lower temperature, but high rises in solutions spoil and stop growth.

Apparatus for work at home

To create rubies at home, you need an apparatus named after its creator, Verneuil. The inventor's technique allows to grow a ruby ​​weighing 30 carats in 3 hours. The technology has made it possible to create the precious material in the right quantity. Industrial facilities began to actively implement the development of Verneuil. Time has made its own adjustments, and today such a device is easily assembled at home. Components of the device:

• cathetometer;
• shaking mechanism;
• bunker;
• burner;
• muffle;
• growing crystal;
• crystal holder;
• crystal lowering mechanism.

The device is used for growing not only rubies. Often, blue topaz, emeralds and stones with a translucent transparent structure are created in the device.

Home production process:

1. Powder is poured into the hopper through a funnel. The composition of the powder is Al2O3, the additional component is Cr2O3.
2. The burner supplies the flame to the bottom of the hopper.
3. The powder starts to melt.
4. The layers of molten powder are a growing ruby ​​crystal.

Through the lowering mechanism, the artificial mineral moves downward. Various shades can be obtained in the device. The rate of crystal formation is higher than in the container. It only takes 3 hours to admire the ruby. One sample requires the following component volumes:

• 6 g Al2O3;
• 0.2 g Cr2O.

Untreated crystalline formations are extraordinary in shape. They are originally similar to natural ones, but at the same time they are always unique.

At first glance, working with the device is difficult and painstaking. In fact, a device invented by a French inventor over 100 years ago will not pose any particular problems. It is assembled from parts that practical people have on the farm. Making an apparatus and purchasing powder are the main stages of preparation.

2>Economic calculations

Home technology is always cheaper. You can calculate the cost of all components, costs, and determine the approximate cost of the resulting samples. What is ruby ​​taken into account:

• the cost of parts of the device;
• electricity costs;
• the price for the purchase of powders for the base of the crystal.

Even approximate calculations will show the benefits. The cost of all the components will not be even 500 rubles. For that kind of money, it is difficult to buy a ruby ​​jewelry of a beautiful appearance and excellent quality. The process should not intimidate domestic experimenters with legitimacy.Natural minerals are regulated by the state, synthetic ones are not covered by the documents. If a decision is made to open a small production, it should be registered in accordance with the established procedure. The soul will be in place, the work will only bring satisfaction.

> A gem that you create yourself will become a pride. The craftsman will gradually learn to change the shades of rubies. The next step will be to creatively work on the resulting samples, transforming them into interior design items and original decorations.

In terms of their physical properties and chemical composition, synthetic precious stones practically do not differ from natural ones. Not all items sold in jewelry stores contain natural stones. And this is quite normal. Consider how to open your own ruby ​​crystal growing business at home.

The content of the article:

• Growing with limited salts
• Auguste Verneuil method
• Determining the competition in this area
• We register home production
• Promotional activities
• A detailed method for growing crystals at home!

The main problem is that most natural stones do not have all the necessary characteristics to show off in jewelry. Stones obtained in factory or laboratory conditions have almost the same characteristics. In addition, synthetic jewelry production is cheaper than mining natural jewelry in deep and life-threatening mines.

Growing with limited salts

Potassium alum is suitable for this method. It is best to grow copper sulfate crystals at home. They do not grow well from regular salt. But copper sulfate is easy to buy, and very beautiful blue artificial gems grow from it.

1. Preparing the container. We will make a saturated salt solution in it. Pour in a few tablespoons of salt, fill it with water and stir. Add salt until it stops dissolving. Use hot water to ensure correct proportions. There are solubility curves for different salts. They show how many grams can dissolve in 100 ml of water at a certain temperature.

Solubility curves

2. We filter the solution. This step is very important, especially if you are buying copper sulfate from a garden store. If the solution is dirty, the crystal will grow with defects. We leave the solution for a day so that excess crystals fall out of it. They settle at the bottom of the glass and serve as a seed for us (the main elements on which new ones will grow).

3. We tie the crystal to the fishing line. We wrap the fishing line on a pencil and hang this device on a glass with a saturated solution. Over time, the water evaporates, the saturation of the solution increases. Excess substance that cannot be dissolved is deposited on our product.

4. Once every two weeks, add a saturated solution to the glass. Why do this? Over time, the water evaporates and at some point of growth it will not be enough and growth will stop.

Important! The added solution should be at the same temperature as the solution where the crystal grows. If it is the highest, we can ruin everything.

5. After three months we take out the crystal and dry it with a napkin.

6. Cover the product with 1-2 layers of colorless nail polish. This is necessary so that it does not dry out and lose its luster. After drying, the product can be taken by hand.

Here are some wonderful rubies you can grow at home!

Auguste Verneuil method

To obtain ruby ​​in laboratory conditions, an apparatus is used, invented by the French scientist Auguste Verneuil more than 100 years ago. On the Internet you can find information on the method of growing ruby ​​and more simplified equipment of the French scientist, which can be used at home.By the method of Auguste Verneuil, a ruby ​​crystal weighing 20-30 carats can be grown in 2-3 hours. It should be noted that this method also applies to the production of topaz in various shades (yellow, blue, white and transparent).

Drawing of the Verneuil apparatus

To obtain a product weighing 30 carats, you will need 3 kW * hours of electricity and 3 hours of time. In monetary terms, this will be less than $ 1. For the production of one crystal, 0.2 g of chromium oxide and 6 g of aluminum oxide powder are required, the cost of which will not exceed $ 0.50.

You don't need to be an economist to understand that even a raw crystal is sold to a jeweler and the profit will be very solid. Having pleased your wife with home-grown topaz and rubies, you will receive incomparable psychological "dividends".

Download a detailed description of the Verneuil method

Determining the competition in this area

Having entered any store, you will notice that the prices for jewelry with stones are quite high, despite their synthetic origin, therefore, the market is still very far from saturation. Marketing research shows that in Russia you do not run the risk of facing a lot of competition. Even if several thousand entrepreneurial people are engaged in such a business, they will not make much changes in this market segment.

We register home production

We are cultivating at home. It is not planned to create laboratory conditions. This is a simple mini business. Sales will be carried out through souvenir shops, social media groups. You can create your own website. Our products will be bought for gifts as precious souvenirs. For this option, it is enough to register as an individual entrepreneur.

If you are planning to expand your business and open your own laboratory with the aim of further selling artificial rubies to jewelry factories and shops, open a limited liability company.

Promotional activities

The most important step is to find ways to realize crystals. How to establish a sales market?

1. Contact an advertising agency. Specialists will find ways to interest potential buyers.

2. Create and promote a group or page in social. networks. Invite friends, be active in groups that sell handmade goods. Additionally, you can create your own website.

3. Go for exclusivity. You can try to negotiate with gift shops for the supply of crystals. Distribute flyers in the city center. Tell your friends about your business.

A detailed method for growing crystals at home!

And this is how synthetic diamonds are grown for industrial purposes.

Precious stones have always attracted people. But in our time, and earlier, most of such creations of nature are considered a rather expensive purchase.

Scientists who managed to synthesize a precious stone that differed little from their natural counterpart found a way out. The idea quickly gained popularity.

Nowadays, artificially grown stones are often used in jewelry.

The thing is that jewelers determine the value of a stone by a number of criteria:

• stone color,
• light refraction,
• strength,
• the weight,
• the size,
• number of faces.

Enterprising people have found a way to grow these stones at home. Some do business on it, taking advantage of the popularity of synthetic crystals.

Their sale will not be fraudulent, because from the point of view of physics and chemistry, the properties of an artificial stone almost completely coincide with the present.

Anyone can grow crystals, for this it is not necessary to have any specific knowledge. It is enough just to follow the instructions clearly.

With the right organization of work, you can earn decent money on this.

Most controversial stone

Everyone knows that the most expensive gem is the diamond. It is cut and sold like a diamond. But in fact, there is a more interesting option.

The stone in question is called alexandrite.

It is a type of the mineral chrysoberyl or beryllium and aluminum oxide.

In nature, it is quite rare and usually weighs less than 1 carat.

Artificial stones sell for $ 300 per carat.

This high cost is due to the complexity of production. It is grown by melt stretching.

The operation is quite difficult to perform, it is performed at high temperatures and is not available at home.

But despite this, there are a huge number of artificial stones on the market, which are often difficult to distinguish from real ones.

back to content ↑ How can you make money

It is most profitable to grow crystals of rubies.

The red stone does not lose popularity and, with proper implementation, will bring a good income to the manufacturer.

Rubies are not only used in jewelry, but also used in industry.

For production on a decent scale, special equipment is needed, which was named after its inventor the Verneuil apparatus.

It allows you to grow crystals right before your eyes.

In 3 hours, the weight of a stone can reach 20 carats.

With minimal energy and reagent costs, this brings enormous profits.

Of course, as in any business, you need to make an effort and monitor the equipment, but in the future you can grow not only rubies, but also emeralds, topaz and even the semblance of diamonds.

The resulting stones are easily processed and used for their intended purpose.

Only a professional can distinguish such stones from real ones. From the point of view of the layman, they will be like two peas in a pod similar to their natural counterparts.

From the point of view of the law, they will not be precious stones. No additional licenses are required.

However, if implementation is to be carried out, it is worth taking care of opening a legal entity.

Back to contents ↑ Non-standard earnings on "flowering" stones

Interesting feature: When people hear about artificially grown stones, they tend to consider them to be precious.

However, there are so-called "living stones".

This is the name of flowers of an interesting shape, striking in their beauty.

Such a plant is lithops.

Its natural habitat is the deserts of South Africa.

This flower belongs to succulents and has very thick leaves that strongly resemble processed granite. Once a year, in the spring, the emergence of new leaves occurs, associated with the death of old ones.

You can't call him tall. As a rule, the maximum plant growth is 10 cm. It blooms from September to November.

back to content ↑ Planting a plant

Such flowers will be very interesting for sale. The plant is quite unpretentious, so you can grow it at home.

Since reproduction takes place with the help of seeds, the main difficulty is planting.

The seeds should be placed in water for several hours, and then planted close to the surface of the earth. The planting must be covered with foil to make a mini-greenhouse.

Every day you need to spray with water and ventilate for 3 minutes.

It is advisable to keep the temperature below 30 degrees during the day and above 15 at night. It is also worth taking care of good lighting and humidity.

back to content ↑ Conditions of detention

Lithops live best in medium-sized pots.

Despite its small size, the plant has a very extensive root system, sharpened by the desert. It should fit well in the pot.

It is also advisable to plant 2-3 flowers in one container in order to take root better.

Place pots in warm, well-lit areas. If possible, let them be on the south side of the housing.

Do not change location often - the plant is sensitive to movement.

Better not to touch it at all.

For lithops, rocky soil will be optimal. In it, he takes root best of all. You can add coarse sand, small pieces of stones and humus.

Don't change the environment drastically. The plant loves a temperate climate and does not tolerate sudden temperature fluctuations.

Also, do not fill the pot. Do not water too often. Care must be taken to ensure that no water gets between the leaves.

Watering is strictly prohibited during the dormant period, when all processes in the plant freeze.

back to contents ↑ "Stone" business: what to choose

What is better to choose, everyone decides for himself.

When choosing the growth of artificial crystals as a business idea, the first money will come faster, however, you need to choose the right point of sale and be constantly engaged in production.

If the soul lies with plants, then everything can be simpler.

The main thing is to water it from time to time, treat it carefully and look for customers for the grown flowers, then the income will not be long in coming.

Read also:

I have already published three of my ideas on this site (Stained glass from colored glass, Making mosaic panels and tables, Growing mosaic panels in an incubator). A new idea, which I called "Growing Ruby Crystals at Home", was born similar to idea 1404 in the process of psychological counseling using the techniques I have used to develop creative thinking. It was thanks to these techniques that this new idea was born in co-authorship with another now business partner of mine. I will not describe in detail what problems a young man named Alexander addressed to me (now it does not matter), but the result of our joint work was the birth of this idea for a home business.

In the beginning, I came across information that it turns out that almost all the precious stones that are sold as part of jewelry in our typical jewelry stores are of artificial origin! This does not mean at all that we are being deceived.

Synthetic gemstones in their chemical composition and physical properties are almost completely indistinguishable from natural stones. The whole problem. It turns out that among natural gemstones, not all have sufficient purity and other jewelry qualities to be honored to be presented in jewelry stores, and in laboratory or factory production conditions, the technological process can be fine-tuned so that all crystals grown in the laboratory will have almost the same jewelry characteristics.

And in production, they are much cheaper than their "colleagues" of the same quality, mined in deep and life-threatening mines. In addition, deposits of certain minerals are not scattered in abundance evenly throughout the globe, but are concentrated, as a rule, in a few places.

Then the thought flowed by analogy with stained-glass windows and mosaics. If on the Internet I came across offers for these services from large reputable firms with solid production areas and cash flow, then, I asked myself a question - why it is impossible to make small stained-glass windows (inserts in interior doors, wall lamps, etc.) literally on your desk?

I studied the technology, wondered how it could be simplified for home use, conducted a certain number of experiments - and got the result!

Likewise, Alexander and I began to creatively rework the idea of ​​growing gem crystals at home. We studied (at an introductory level) different methods, and settled on the method of the French scientist Auguste Verneuil, who created more than 100 years ago an original technique and equipment that made it possible to grow ruby ​​crystals weighing 20-30 carats in 2-3 hours.This was an outstanding achievement of science and technology, not only because it made it possible to artificially produce such a valuable material in the required quantities, but also because it opened up prospects for the synthesis and growth of crystals of other precious stones.

The success of O. Verneuil was preceded by almost half a century of research on the synthesis of ruby.

The simplicity and reliability of the Verneuil method led to the rapid organization of industrial production of these crystals, first in France, and later in practically all highly developed countries of the world.

The first figure shows the very principle of operation of the Verneuil method (doesn't it - everything looks pretty simple!), And the second figure shows the Verneuil apparatus.

Verneuil apparatus for growing ruby ​​crystals at home

It looks quite difficult, even at first it makes me feel a little afraid - they say, I would never do this! But these are false fears. After all, it should be remembered once again that the inventor created his technology more than 100 years ago!

Naturally, he did not have at his disposal those electrical and mechanical "tricks" that are available to any home craftsman at the present time!

We started to work on this problem - how to simplify the Verneuil apparatus through the use of modern electrical components and mechanisms of wide availability and create a "kitchen" version of the apparatus.

And we did it!

The site contains more detailed information on our "kitchen" version of the Verneuil apparatus.

Using the Verneuil method, you can grow crystals of not only ruby, but also blue, white (transparent) and yellow topaz (as well as other shades if desired).

I publish a detailed description of the "kitchen" version (with Alexander's consent) as the main generator of the idea and am not at all afraid of competition from those enthusiasts who decide to follow this idea. The reason is very simple: at present, artificial precious crystals are grown in many countries of the world, but as soon as you go to a jewelry store, it becomes immediately obvious that prices are still "biting". And it seems that the market is still very, very far from saturation. And if even after reading this information there are several thousand enthusiasts, then with our “home” production we all cannot do any special “weather” in this market segment. Therefore, the results of our research can be published without fear. On the contrary, if something like the "Association of Domestic Crystal Growers" appears on the network :-), then it will be even more interesting and useful for everyone, since, as you know, two heads are good, and two thousand, we can confidently assume, are much better. And some of these heads may turn out to be much lighter, and their ideas will help everyone who is interested to further simplify and improve the apparatus, and turn it from “kitchen”, for example, into “nightstand” :-).

Now a few words about the economic efficiency of the project. It takes 3 hours to grow a ruby ​​crystal weighing 20-30 carats (4-6 grams!) And about 3 kWh of electricity. Calculate how much it costs in your area. Think. that the figure is less than 10 rubles. The cost of 6 grams of aluminum oxide powder and 0.2 grams of chromium oxide in general cannot cost more than 50 kopecks.

So if you, dear reader, offer even a rough ruby ​​crystal to an interested jeweler, then you don't need to have a Soros head to understand that the profit from the deal will be quite solid. Well, if one of the hand-made men with rubies and topaz makes his own wife or girlfriend happy, then the psychological dividends from such "investments" cannot be counted at all! :-).

A few more words about the legal legality of such proceedings. Of course, it is still necessary to thoroughly consult with lawyers, but the law of the Russian Federation "On PRECIOUS METALS AND PRECIOUS STONES" (last amendment of 18.07.2005 N 90-FZ) I have reviewed, says very specifically that the subject of regulation of this law is "precious stones - natural diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires and alexandrites, as well as natural pearls in raw (natural) and processed form. Unique amber formations are equated to precious stones in accordance with the procedure established by the Government of the Russian Federation.This list of precious stones can only be changed by federal law. " I specially highlighted the word - "natural". And nothing is said about synthetic ones.

So grow ruby ​​crystals at home in peace.

LAB GROWN MINERALS

PART I PART II PART III afterword “The voice of beauty sounds quiet: it penetrates only the most sensitive ears,” said Friedrich Nietzsche. Each person has his own concept and vision of beauty, but those who love nature are able to appreciate even the smallest and most inconspicuous crystals of minerals. I will share with you some information about the creations of human hands. I would also like to note that very often the purpose of creating artificial minerals is an elementary deception of collectors. When buying a new sample, you will not always be informed of its origin. Let's figure it out together.

GROWING CRYSTALSIn nature, mineral crystals are often formed in aqueous solutions of natural mineralizers. To grow mineral crystals, natural conditions are simulated artificially.

Growing crystals of minerals produce

- from melts,

- from solutions,

- from gas.

According to the method of obtaining crystals, grown in the laboratory can be divided into two types:

- crystals that can be grown in aqueous solution at more or less room temperature,

- crystals that are grown in pressure vessels or any other special devices.

At numerous online auctions, when getting acquainted with the offers of minerals, collectors can come across two groups of crystals grown in the laboratory:

- crystals identical in composition with natural mineral species:

- minerals that do not exist in nature

MINERALS FROM NATUREBOUSSINGAULTITE

The mineral is named in 1864 for Jean-Baptiste Joseph Dieudonné Bussengot (1802-1887), a French chemist.

Color in nature: colorless, yellowish-pink. Often sold in online stores

bussengotite colored during growth, by introducing impurities of metals, for example, titanium. And some naturally colorless minerals are colored with food dyes by adding them to the original solution. Here are examples of bussengotite:

Chalcanthite

And this beautiful blue mineral is familiar to everyone as

crystals of copper sulfate ... Chalcanthite is a secondary mineral that is naturally formed in dry climates or rapidly oxidizing processes in copper deposits. It usually forms after copper mining under the influence of acidic surface waters along copper veins. The mineral is soluble in water. Many well-crystallized samples offered for sale are artificially grown on a matrix.

Here are some examples

These green minerals are also chalcanthites and are also artificially grown

ARTIFICIAL MINERALNiahite (NIAHITE)

Similar natural resources are

Biphosphamite

(Biphosphammite) and

Archerite

(Archerite), typical minerals in crusts, not huge crystals. The name Niahite means a substance with the following chemical formula (NH4) (Mn + +, Mg, Ca) PO4 (H2O).

And it looks like this! There are also blue and green crystals of similar shape. On sale, such crystals are apparently extremely rare.

All photos (except for the last one) are taken from online auctions, where sellers openly announced the artificial origin of minerals

TO BE CONTINUED…