Mortar and Pestle

These are often made of agate, and used for intimately mixing reagents or reducing the particle size of solid particles. Usually, particle size can be reduced to about 1 micron.

To clean an agate mortar and pestle, add 1 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid to the mortar, and swirl the pestle in the mortar. After 1 minute, remove the acid; after an extended soak, the acid may stain the agate. Rinse the mortar with deionized water three times, and then thoroughly wipe it with a kim-wipe.