Crystal Garden (includes 4 assorted stones)
The enclosed rocks are Sedimentary rocks. They are found in various rock stratas in Southern Utah.
Put these rocks in a clean glass dish for best results, but plastic or tin will work. Pour some White Distilled Vinegar over the stones and cover to within 1/4" of the top of the rocks.
Be sure and leave this small fraction of rock exposed as that is where the crystals will form and continue to grow. As the vinegar evaporates crystals will form down the sides of the rock and the ones on top will continue to grow.
After the vinegar has all evaporated the crystals will be completely formed. Leave them in the dish for up to a week to harden before moving or handling them. You may then remove them from the container and display as you like.
These crystals that form are a formation of Aragonite and are produced as a result of the chemical reaction between the stone and acid in the vinegar. The crystals will start to form within 12 hours and will grow each day until the vinegar has all evaporated. After several days when the crystal formation has well formed you may wish to color your crystals. To do this, simply add a drop of food coloring to the vinegar. The color will interact with the vinegar and filter into the crystal making them colored.
This is a fun and educational experience. You may wish to add different color to different stones and have a garden of colored crystals!