If boiling water had a decent temporary effect, but the problem returned—and if there is reason to suspect it may be a fungus, try again.

Next time add a good quantity of vinegar to the water, and simmer the beads in the pot for 30 minutes. This will not only kill any fungus, it will also make the beads nicer-looking.

Let us know how you prosper. Jamey

I followed Jamey's instructions to the letter, thoroughly dried the beads afterwards, even set a bowl of them on my studio heater to make sure every speck of moisture was gone.

And within two weeks, they were covered with white stuff AGAIN.

To those who suggest humidity, this is California during the worst drought in ages. And we had no rain during this two-week period, until today. My studio is COLD but not humid.

Oy. If anyone has thoughts/suggestions (JAMEY!!!????) please let me know.

(The title is a pun.)

I have a solution that is made for cleaning really corroded coins. I have hesitated to use it for beads. You have to be careful with this stuff. But it strips corrosion down to the metal.

Perhaps worth a try....

If it is a fungus and not an efflorescence limiting your exposure to the fungus may be wise as ones lungs are a pathway for certain fungal spores.

Maybe it is not mold, but blooming of salts out of the black core.
Try putting some beads in saturated sugar water. That’s sometimes done in the housing construction with blooming briickwork.

Aluminum perhaps? I read this about aluminum being a component in Bronze and causing white residue & thought of you, for what it's worth:
https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=201952

But I'll check out your link, thank you!

But I'll check out your link, thank you!

Posted twice- also in the other related thread, sorry..

As you know the African Brass/Bronze Lost Wax bead method often involves carefully piecing threads of wax over a clay core- especially the hollow "filigree" looking beads. The wax bead construction may be coated/dipped first in a or several slurries of (charcoal &) clay and then packed carefully in clay which will make the outer one time mold.

EDIT- I should also add that the wax is removed by heating leaving through ports, and that the brass/bronze is then poured into the casting shape left by the wax through a hole or holes. The inner bead clay core remains at that point in the center of the bead. Oversimplified version..

Usually this inner clay core is broken up and expelled after the casting is cooled (?) and is broken open. You have to ask WHY the clay core did not break up? Why was the core retained? Was it a "bad" clay that solidified too much, and maybe had some extra and unusual mineral content (which may account for the white precipitate).

I do see some other similar Igbo Lost Wax Brass/Bronze beads that are retaining the clay core in a similar manner, though not turning white.

If you have a diamond tip bit for Dremel type drill are you able to clamp down a bead or two and drill the white/black core out? Is it too hard all the way through? Does it begin to break up at all? I think the odd composition of the clay core material is what is at the root of the problem.

Good luck- this is frustrating but you can figure it out, Anne