What might remain is the object it was applied to, if the object itself was durable, with no trace of the mineral treatment.

Some researchers have noted that gypsum coating has been identified on certain artifacts from Early Woodland and related contexts in Eastern North America — objects that appear to have been intentionally whitened with a mineral application.

If cave gypsum was used as a pigment or coating material, and if that application happened at the archaeological site rather than in the cave, the mineral would have dissolved long before the artifact was excavated.

The application would leave no trace.