Obtaining crystals from copper sulfate. We grow a crystal of copper sulphate (quick way)

Crystal… This very word smells of something mysterious and magical. They have long aroused admiration, and often admiration. Many of them received their own names. True, most of them were diamonds, rubies, emeralds and other precious stones of natural origin. The severity and symmetry of the form, the variety of colors, the play of light on the edges ... Is it possible to at least partially reproduce this magnificent spectacle under normal conditions? The answer is clear - it's possible. From almost any water-soluble crystalline substance available in everyday life, if desired, with certain knowledge and patience, a person can grow crystals that will delight the eye, decorate the interior and flatter the pride of their creator . But for this you need quite a bit:

• the substrate from which the crystal will be formed;
• dishes (preferably glass), where the future "masterpiece" will grow
• water (preferably distilled), in which the salt will be dissolved;
• diligence, diligence, patience.

Before growing a crystal from copper sulfate, you need to decide on the source material. Sugar, which is available in any modern home, disappears not only because of its unlimited edibility (there are cases of experimental cultivation of crystals from sugar by enthusiastic scientists even in besieged Leningrad), but also because crystals form extremely slowly.

Perhaps the second most accessible compound is table salt (NaCl) , giving translucent crystals of almost perfect cubic shape. But crystals of a compound known colloquially as blue vitriol grow much faster. Yes, and they look much nicer.

What is copper sulfate?

What is copper sulfate? Any chemist will answer this question that this substance (copper sulfate) is a white (more often, slightly grayish due to the almost irresistible presence of impurities) crystalline powder with the chemical formula CuSO 4 . This is an extremely hygroscopic compound - from almost any substance containing easily separated water, it takes it away. This feature determines the fact that CuSO 4 under normal conditions is in the state that everyone is used to seeing in hardware or gardening stores. It has the appearance of surprisingly beautiful turquoise blue crystals. At the same time, its formula looks somewhat different - CuSO 4 5H 2 O.

First naive experience

To obtain copper sulfate crystals of the appropriate quality, you need
prepare its saturated solution. Turning to the reference books, anyone will find that the solubility of hydrated vitriol at 20 ° C is 35.6%. This means that 100 ml of water cannot physically dissolve more than 35.6 g of salt.

Thus, to make 500 ml of a saturated solution at normal room temperature, only 178 g of copper sulfate is needed. However, this limit can be easily overcome. With increasing temperature, the solubility in water of most salts increases. Copper sulphate is no exception. When heated, the solubility of CuSO 4 gradually increases exponentially to a threshold of 65-70 ° C (such an indicator for dehydrated copper sulphate is approximately 1.3). Further heating becomes not only useless, but often destructive for the future crystal.

A simple calculation using a calculator or pencil and paper shows that to prepare 500 ml of a heated saturated solution, 270-300 g of the original salt will be needed. By pouring a pre-measured amount of CuSO 4 with hot distilled water with thorough stirring, we achieve maximum dissolution of the salt. The aqueous solution thus has a saturated blue color. A small amount of undissolved vitriol may remain at the bottom. It will have to be filtered through loose filter paper, synthetic absorbent cotton, or several layers of gauze.

Leaving the filtered solution for several hours at a constant normal temperature, we get a “scattering” of beautiful crystals from copper sulphate of a fairly regular shape. After additional filtration and drying, the crystals will be able to take their rightful place in the room for a while.

The process of growing crystals from copper sulfate, of course, can be accelerated . To do this, place the container with the solution in the refrigerator. In this case, the liquid remains in a state of stable equilibrium. For the formation of crystals need a "push". Such a "push" for a hypersaturated solution of vitriol will be a small crystal (seed). In this case, large druses of small crystals form very quickly around the seed crystal.

Further development of the idea

If it is desirable to grow elegant beads, it is enough to lower a cotton or woolen thread into a saturated solution. A separate crystal of copper sulphate will form around each villus.

If it is necessary to grow a large crystal from a copper
vitriol, have to do otherwise . First, again, a saturated solution is needed, but the seed is tied to a fishing line or synthetic thread. This is necessary so that small side crystals do not form. The seed can be chosen from the most beautiful in shape and color of the crystals mentioned in the first experiment. It should not touch the bottom and walls of the vessel. The solution should not be cloudy or contain fine sediment at the bottom. At a constant temperature to a size of 1 cm, the crystal will grow in a week. Copper sulfate crystals of 5-10 cm look amazingly beautiful. This result can be achieved in 1-1.5 months. It should be borne in mind that the saturated solution will have to be periodically topped up, carefully observing the growth of the crystal. Ideally, the crystal will look smooth, with clear edges, and have an intense blue color.

In order for the copper sulfate crystal to be preserved for a long time (under normal conditions, copper sulfate crystals are quickly destroyed), it is recommended to cover it with a protective layer of colorless universal glue (but not Cyanopan and its analogues) or nail polish. You can also place the grown crystal in a hermetically sealed glass vessel.

Those who have already become familiar with the possibility of growing crystals at home at minimal cost, and are on fire with the idea of ​​​​getting one or more for themselves, are often faced with the possibility of growing only white specimens. At the very least, ordinary table salt is capable of producing exceptionally white crystals, which are simply impossible to do right away. Although such experiments take place with sugar, sometimes people want to get a real natural colored crystal l, which grew by itself, without dyes. It is in this case that the best way to obtain a crystal from salt is to use copper sulfate.

Bright blue rich hue, transparency and attractiveness are main characteristics this material. A well-grown, ideally shaped crystal of copper sulphate is also quite suitable as an exquisite and rather rare gift for relatives and friends. In addition, it in itself is able to become an excellent element of interior decor. No one will remain indifferent, looking at this work of nature, formed under clear mathematical rules. In addition, the growing process itself can become extremely captivating and addictive for long days and weeks.

It should be noted that copper sulphate itself is a fairly affordable economic substance. It is actively used to combat a wide variety of pests.

It is worth remembering that in itself it is quite toxic because our body is not designed to process it. That is why the use of rubber gloves is mandatory when working with it. In no case do not allow this salt to get on the tongue and mucous membrane, not to mention the esophagus. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands after touching the appropriate crystal or solution for its preparation.

All that is needed for the initiation and growth of the crystal is: water, blue vitriol itself, a glass that will no longer be used for food purposes, a wire or a fairly thin woolen thread, you can also take a simple long hair. As for water, it is best to use distilled, purified from any kind of salts. At a minimum, it must be boiled, since everything that you take from the tap will react with copper sulfate and significantly degrade the quality of the resulting material.

To form a crystal, it needs initialization element. In its quality, one small crystal is suitable. Of course, it is desirable to choose more. Initially, the dressing is suspended on a thin hair and on a thread. It is worth taking care that after the formation of a successful crystal, the corresponding thread is not visible. It is necessary to place the seed in a container with a cool solution of copper sulphate so that it does not touch the bottom and walls.

It should be noted that for successful and rapid crystal formation, it is necessary to maintain the highest possible concentration of copper sulfate in water.

There is a way that will allow you to create a stone of copper sulfate fast enough, however, it will be more like a bunch of a wide variety of crystals attached to each other. If you want to create a beautiful large crystal with your own hands that will look like a gem, this will take a lot more time.

Cultivation is possible only in solutions with a very high salt concentration. It is worth noting that the hotter the water the more salt can be dissolved. For copper sulfate, a temperature of 80 degrees is recommended. It does not make sense to heat water higher, since the solubility will be the same.

For a quick method, it is enough to take a half-liter jar or glass, place about 200 g of copper sulfate inside and pour three grams of water. For dissolution, it is necessary to put the container on a thermal bath, and gradually warm up, stirring constantly. After the final dissolution of the salt, it is necessary to remove the container from the heat source and install on a cool surface such as a ceramic plate.

After cooling the solution to room temperature, a seed is placed inside. It is desirable to use the largest and even crystal of copper sulfate. It is necessary to place it exactly in the center of the container, avoid contact with the bottom and walls.

Even if the crystal has dissolved, you should not worry, because the supersaturated solution settles directly on the thread. It should be noted that vitriol will focus on the bottom where the surface is coolest. In addition, crystals will begin to form even on the surface. After the concentration subsides, and the crystals abundantly settle on the thread, it is necessary to repeat the procedure. Again heating the container, again dissolving the maximum amount of salt. After that, the growing crystal is re-immersed in the container.

How to grow a crystal at home? If earlier such a question might surprise, today most people have seen at least once in their lives what home-grown crystals are, and some have already created such beauty.

The process can be called laborious, and it will take a lot of time, but it can definitely captivate, especially since the result is usually impressive. Growing crystals is recommended as a joint activity with children, because small and not so young researchers are very interested in such a pastime.

When deciding to experiment at home for the first time, it is worth starting with the simplest, using a product that can be found in any home - sugar. This method is especially recommended for conducting research with children, especially since they will try the result. How to grow a crystal from sugar?

This will require the following:

The growing process begins with cooking sugar syrup - 1/4 tbsp. water is mixed with 2 liters. sugar and keep on the stove until the liquid acquires the consistency of syrup. Then a skewer is dipped in it and sprinkled with sugar. The further beauty of the sugar crystal depends on the uniformity of the sprinkling. Thus, several blanks are made and left for 8-12 hours until they are completely dry.

Once the skewers are dry, you can begin the next step. Pour 500 ml of water into a saucepan or ladle and pour 2.5 cups of granulated sugar. Then the container is placed on a slow fire and boiled, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes a syrup. It is important to ensure that the sugar is completely dissolved.

Then add the remaining sugar (2.5 cups) and continue cooking. After the syrup is left for 20 minutes to cool. And at this time, you can do the preparation of the base for the crystals. It is necessary to cut circles of paper, slightly larger in diameter than the glasses and gently pierce them with chopsticks. The main thing is that the paper should be firmly fixed on the skewer, as it will play the role of a holder and serve as a lid for the glass.

Cooled down, but still hot, the syrup must be poured into glasses. And if at this moment you combine it with food coloring, then the grown crystal will become colored. Then the stick in paper is dipped into the sugar mixture and left there until a crystal forms. After a similar procedure is repeated with the remaining blanks.

It will not be possible to quickly grow a crystal in this way, since, on average, this process will take 6-8 days. After it is formed, you can admire the result and treat yourself and the children to a beautiful sweetness.

How does salt crystallize?

You can use not only sugar, but it is also possible to grow a crystal from salt at home. This is a fairly simple procedure, which, however, requires patience.

To create it, you need the following:

Water is heated in a saucepan, not bringing to a boil, otherwise the experiment will fail. Then salt is slowly poured into it, without ceasing to mix, so that each salt portion is completely dissolved. Salt is added until the water stops dissolving it.

Salt solution is placed in a jar and settled for about 20-24 hours. As time passes, various crystalline formations appearing from the salt sediment are found in the tank. You need to choose the one that is prettier and larger, get it out of the jar and tie it on a thread.

The remaining solution must be poured into another jar, but so that other crystals do not get into it. Then a crystal with a tied thread is lowered into it. After that, it remains only to wait, as the crystal will begin to grow, and in a couple of days a change in its size will be noticeable.

As soon as its growth stops, you can end the experiment or prepare an additional salt solution and repeat the procedure so that the crystal becomes much larger. By the way, you can speed up the process by changing the saline more often.

Having learned how to grow a crystal from salt and having prepared everything you need, it is worth considering a few nuances. First, you can not cool the solution, chat, and also try to color, coloring will not occur, but the experiment will fail.

Use for the experience of copper sulfate

We will talk about a more complex process that can be carried out at home, but if it is performed by children, then with the obligatory viewing of adults. How to grow a crystal from copper sulfate (aka copper sulfate)?

For the experiment, you need to prepare the following components:

When purchasing the last component, it is worth evaluating the quality of the substance - the powder has a bright blue color, a uniform consistency, without impurities and lumps.

Pour 100 g of the substance into a container and pour it in small portions with hot water, without ceasing to stir. The solution is so saturated that the copper salt is not able to dissolve in it.

The liquid is filtered and placed on a shelf in the refrigerator compartment. Enough night to find that the bottom of the jar is covered with a lot of crystals. It is worth choosing a couple more beautiful and larger and lower it into a filtered solution, after securing it with a thread. The container is covered with paper and all that remains is waiting.

This is the longest experiment, as vitriol crystals grow slowly. It will take more than one week for it to ripen. The crystal is then taken out of the jar, rinsed under cool water and covered with a colorless nail art coat.

Having learned how to grow a crystal at home, you can do an experiment without delay. And if everything is done correctly, the result will surely please.

Crystal… From this word it really blows with magic. I don’t know about the magical properties of crystals, but they definitely have a variety of useful physical properties. Crystals are widely used in modern electronics, optics, and other fields of technology. And, of course, the crystals are simply beautiful. They attract the eye with their regular shape and natural symmetry. And this applies not only to precious crystals, but also to crystals grown from improvised means.

We already know something about the crystalline state of matter from the article on. It's time to move on to practical exercises 🙂

The crystal growth experiment has a number of features. One of these features is the duration of the experiment. The thing is that a good and beautiful, and, most importantly, a large crystal cannot be grown quickly. This takes time. That is why the experience of growing crystals for nine days developed in the rubric, where you could observe the progress of the process and, perhaps, even conduct your own experiment in parallel. This article is a summary of the information obtained during the experience. So, instructions for those who want to grow a crystal themselves.

For this we need:

• The container in which the crystal will grow. It is best if the container is transparent, such as a glass jar. In this case, it will be convenient to monitor the progress of the process.
• A small piece of cardboard to cut out the container lid
• Funnel
• Filter paper or any material with which it will be possible to filter the solution. You can use a napkin.
• Thread. It is better to take a thinner and smoother thread, for example, silk.
• And, of course, the substance from which we will grow the crystal. Copper sulphate is used in the experiment. The crystal from it should turn out to be a beautiful blue color. In addition, getting blue vitriol is quite simple - it is usually sold in any gardening store. If you could not find blue vitriol or are just too lazy to go to the store, then you can use any crystalline substance, for example, ordinary table salt or sugar.

Before starting the experiment, I must warn you, in case you want to repeat it, about personal safety measures. You will be working with chemicals that can harm you. Do not use food containers for your experiment, use protective equipment (gloves, glasses), wash your laboratory glassware thoroughly. If chemicals come into contact with skin or eyes, rinse thoroughly with water. If swallowed, seek medical attention.

Well, with the formalities over, let's get started.

Day 1.

As I said, growing crystals is a procedure that has some peculiarities. Another feature of this experiment, in addition to the duration, is the need to grow the so-called seed, i.e. a small crystal, on the basis of which a large crystal will grow. You can do without a seed, but in this case it is difficult to grow a beautiful single crystal. Therefore, it is better to grow a seed after all, especially since there is nothing complicated in this.

Prepare a saturated solution.

Let's pour some copper sulphate into a glass container (hereinafter I will talk about copper sulphate, since it is he who is involved in the experiment, but you use the substance that you managed to find).

Pour salt (and copper sulfate is sulfur-copper salt) with a small amount of hot water. The use of hot water is mandatory, because. at elevated temperatures, the solubility of salts increases.

It is better to place the container in a water bath so that the solution does not cool prematurely.

Stir the salt until dissolved, and then add more salt and stir again. We repeat this until the salt ceases to dissolve in water.

Thus, we have obtained a saturated salt solution.

Now the resulting solution must be filtered. This must be done so that no foreign particles, such as dust or impurities, remain in the solution. Foreign particles can serve as additional centers of crystallization, i.e. other crystals will begin to form around them, but we do not need this. At this stage of the experiment, this is not very critical, but later the purity of the solution will be very important.

After filtering, you need to throw a few salt crystals into the solution - seeds will begin to form on them.

Now the container needs to be placed in a place where a more or less constant temperature regime will be ensured (the windowsill is great for this), and covered with something to prevent foreign impurities from entering.

The solution will begin to cool and supersaturate, i.e. salt will begin to become more in solution than it can dissolve at a given temperature. The salt will begin to crystallize, and the grains of salt that we added to the saturated solution will become the centers of crystallization. You will have to wait 2-3 days. After that, we proceed to the next stage of the experiment.

Day 2

It can be seen that crystals began to form at the bottom of the vessel.

Day 3

The crystals have grown. In principle, they are large enough to be used as a seed, but I will try to keep them for another day.

Day 4

Well, enough time has passed, and we have formed a good seed material. It remains to choose the right candidate.

Pretty pretty already, isn't it? But we will not stop there and will continue our experiment.

It seems that the resulting mass of crystals is a monolith, but in fact it is not difficult to separate the crystals.

Try to choose a crystal of the most correct shape. I chose far from the largest available, but I liked its shape the most. The more correct the shape of the seed, the more correct the shape of the crystal will be in the future. To make the dimensions of the seed more clear, I put a match next to it.

Now you need to tie a thread to the seed. As I wrote at the beginning of the article, it is better to take a less fuzzy thread so that side crystals do not form on its protruding fibers. Do not use wire as a hanger.

Now the thread with the seed must be passed through the lid of the container and fixed on the reverse side. You need to fix it so that at any time it is possible to adjust the height of the suspension. For example, you can wind the excess thread on the match from the back or secure the thread with a paper clip.

Now we need to prepare a fresh salt solution. It is done in the same way as for the seed: dissolving salt in hot water until it stops dissolving, filtering the solution. In this fresh solution we place our seed. Make sure that the seed does not touch the bottom and walls of the container, otherwise the crystal will begin to grow in an irregular shape.

And now we have two ways. The first one is more complex. It requires more attention and effort. The fact is that the most beautiful and regular crystals are obtained when the crystallization process is slow. Therefore, we need to ensure smooth cooling of the salt solution. To do this, we need to place our seed container in thermo-vessels, constantly control the temperature of the solution. In simple terms, there is quite a lot of fuss. But the reward for such efforts is worthwhile - the crystal will turn out to be as clean and regular as possible.

The second way is much easier. You have placed the seed in a hot solution and you can forget about it for a while, leaving the crystallization process to chance. With this method, the growing crystal may not be an ideal shape, but the growth process will be faster.

I chose the second way. In the end, after going down the easier path and gaining some experience, I can always do a more complex version of the experiment. In addition, you need to keep in mind that the quick version of the experience does not mean at all that it can be done in a couple of hours. Even with an accelerated experience, the crystal will grow for several days. In the case of a long-term option, the experiment can stretch for 1-2 months.

But in both cases it is necessary to monitor the growth of the crystal. Once again, you don’t need to take out the crystal and touch it - this may affect its shape. If side crystals begin to form on a crystal or thread, they must be carefully removed so that they also do not spoil the shape of the main crystal.

And one moment. If you lowered the seed into the solution, but it did not increase, but quite the opposite, it dissolves, then this means that you have prepared an unsaturated solution. The procedure for preparing the solution will have to be repeated.

So we continue to monitor the growth of the crystal. If you have any questions, you can contact me in the comments or through the form.

Day 5

During the day, the crystal grew significantly. In the photo, the crystal is compared with a match and a crystal - an understudy of the seed, which I left yesterday just in case.

However, as you can see, the shape of the crystal is not ideal, there are many defects. This is the result of the rapid growth of the crystal. But I still like it 🙂

I updated the solution as I did before, and lowered the crystal back into it. Since the crystal size increased significantly compared to the previous day, an adjustment in the height of the seed suspension was required. The experiment continues.

Day 6

Crystal has grown. Again updated the copper sulphate solution.

Day 7

The crystal barely fits into my glass! Do not forget to clean the thread from growing small crystals.

Day 8

Day 9

Well, here comes, I think, the last day of the experiment. The latter is not because the crystal will not be able to grow further, but because it has become too crowded in my laboratory glassware. We take out the crystal, cut the thread to the very root and blot it with napkins. We are one step away from admiring our work of art. The fact is that if you leave the crystal as it is, it will collapse pretty soon. To prevent this from happening, it must be "dressed" in a protective shell. The best option is to cover it with clear varnish. You can also place it in a hermetically sealed container, for example, in a jar. But it seems to me that the best option is to cover it with varnish. This will give it additional brilliance, and it will be possible to observe it, as they say, live, and not through glass.

And now you can take a good look at the crystal. Of course, his form was not perfect. But I deliberately chose the fast way of crystal growth instead of the qualitative one. In any case, I was pleased with the result. In nine days, the crystal grew more than seven centimeters in length - a pretty good result!

I even wanted to give it a name. Names are given to large and unique gemstones. For example, how the famous diamond was given the name "Count Orlov". My crystal, of course, is far from a diamond, but it is dear to me in its own way 🙂 Therefore, not without a share of humor, I decided to call the resulting seven-centimeter pebble the Kid.

Good luck with your experiments!

natural rock crystals

For their education, special conditions are needed. For example, rock granite comprises crystals of quartz, feldspar and mica, which crystallized one after another as the magma cooled.

Beautiful hexagonal rock crystals grew from hot aqueous solutions saturated with SiO 2 silica.

natural sulfur crystals

Rhombic yellow crystals sulfur rose from the 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, were formed under enormous pressure in the so-called explosion pipes (kimberlite pipes).

So, nature has created and continues to create mineral crystals. 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 CRYSTAL FROM SALT

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. While constantly stirring the solution, add salt until you notice that it no longer dissolves.

The resulting saline 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 on the edges of the saucer and on its bottom you will see transparent cubes of the correct shape - these are rock salt crystals, halite.

You can grow a large crystal, or several large cubic crystals. To do this, put a woolen thread 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 the crystals will be. After a while, the growth will stop.

To grow one large crystal, you need to choose one, the most correct, 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.

For the growth of the right crystals, rest is needed. You can not shake or move the table or shelf on which there is a container with growing crystals.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM SUGAR

You can grow sugar crystals just like you can grow salt crystals. Sugar crystals can also be grown on wooden sticks and can be a nice addition to any holiday sweet dish. Food coloring added to the solution will color the sugar in all the colors of the rainbow.

sugar crystals

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

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM COPPER sulphate

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.

In order to grow a crystal of copper sulphate (Cu SO 4 * 5H 2 O) of the correct shape, powdered copper sulphate should be dissolved in water at a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius. At a higher temperature, the solubility of copper sulfate decreases. Dissolve the powder until the dissolution stops. At the end of the wire or woolen thread we tie a seed - a small crystal of the same copper sulphate. Where to get it? You can look in the same package from which you poured the vitriol into the water, a larger crystal. If this is not found, leave your solution to cool, and after a while you will see small crystals at the bottom.

Choose one and tie (or glue) it to a piece of wire or thread. Filter the solution. Then lower the prepared seed (crystal on a thread) into it. Never immerse the seed in a hot solution! The seed may simply dissolve. A large crystal of copper sulphate grows for several weeks. A crystal grown to the desired size must be varnished, since the moisture contained in the air will eventually melt and destroy it.

They are grown in a similar way, a detailed article about this can be read by clicking on the link in this proposal.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM POTASSIUM ALUMS

grown crystals of potassium alum

Potassium alum (KAI 2 * 12H 2 O - mineral alunite ) sold in pharmacies in powder form. This is a good remedy that "dries out 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. Alum should be dissolved in warm water until saturated and the solution filtered. After a few days of being in a quiet place, at room temperature, small crystals will appear at the bottom of the container.

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

From these crystals, you need to select a few 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 strong waterproof glue). Once every two or three days, the crystals must be transferred to a new glass, and the solution filtered and the growing crystals filled with them again. Alum crystals, grown to the desired size, should be varnished so that they do not melt from the moisture of the air and do not lose their shape.

Solutions for growing crystals should preferably be prepared with distilled water.

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

The enterprises also grow crystals of many minerals. But this cannot be repeated at home, this requires 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 Grow Kits

crystal growing kit

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

Strangely, the instructions that are in the box shown in the photo do not indicate which chemical is used to grow the crystals and which dye is used. Other than that, it's pretty detailed.