[mroatman]

You make a good point, nonetheless I removed the crystal from my Soviet 470 & there was most definitely some sort of residue (white powdery substance) in the crystal track.

Just a thought -- that white powdery substance may be frictional residue from the crystal expanding and contracting due to changes in temperature/pressure. I know that when I polish crystals with sandpaper, this "white powder" goes everywhere.