What do you think causes the crackle and clicks we hear?

Johnss, My records are never touched by any cleaning device or fluid. Just a conductive sweep arm and the stylus. Excuse me. Some of my very old albums were treated with Last. I stopped when I figured out that it was not doing a darn thing. Maybe to rare fingerprint when I slip.
 I just got a new WiFi USB microscope. I will see if I can get pictures and figure a way to post them. 
Used records and records that have gotten dirty are a different problem. I can understand why those who buy used records get a record cleaning devise. I do not. The secret to clean records is, don't let them get dirty in the first place. 

MC, I have two 911s and neither one squeals. One is ceramic and it is supposed o have a reputation for that. The other one will grind just starting out if the brakes got wet but no squeal. It has Girodisc rotors on it and Centric pads.

Johnss, I have looked at many new records under a binocular microscope and have seen no such residue. The occasional finger print, some dust but no calcium carbonate. You see these round crystals in horse urine. I look for calcium pyruvate crystals in human joint fluid all the time differentiating pseudo gout from gout ( uric acid crystal arthropathy)
Uric acid crystals being negatively birefringent needles versus thepositively birefringent rhomboids of calcium pyruvate. 
The mold release agent is a very small part of the PVC additive mix. Additives such as plasticizer, the mold release agent, carbon black and some other stuff make up 2.5% of record PVC mix. It is in the mix. Not on the surface. 
Contrary to popular mythology generated by the record cleaning industry new records do not require any special cleaning as long as static is neutralized and incidental dust is swept out of the way. Only poorly kept used records require cleaning. I personally do not buy used records. I can certainly understand using a record cleaning machine on them though. But instead of all that record cleaning stuff I would rather spend the money on new records. My perspective may be different as I have been collecting records for over 50 years and have a fine stash of vintage records. 
 

Actually, groove wear does not cause pops or ticks. It slows groove velocity. Dust ground into the surface does that along with static and overload. This is a problem we have all learned to live with. It just goes with the territory. If you don't like it go digital. 
MC you really need to go digital. This stuff is getting to your head or whatever you call it:)