The optimal acetate buffered acetic acid technique for extracting phosphatic fossils

When extracting or cleaning phosphatic fossils using acetic acid, the solutions must be buffered with calcium acetate to a pH greater than 3.6 for conodont and many fish taxa, and to a slightly greater pH for some conulariid, shark, and some fish taxa. Diagrams of the changes in pH and density during dissolution, rate of dissolution, and productivity per liter of acid provide a means for selecting the economically optimal process, monitoring the progress, and adjusting the composition of the solution when necessary.