25^ PROPERTIES OF THE EARTH YTTRIA. 



As there is novelty to recommend the fecond part of this 

 Memoir, we (hall communicate it to our readers in a faithful 

 tranflation. 

 Mineral fub- ^ The author remarks, that although the mineral fubftance 



ftmce nej*l£ in- ^j^ ^ h as difcovered contains yttria, it cannot be clafled in 



-veftigated, con- _ J ' 



taining a metal a fyftem of mineralogy as a fpecies of that earth, on account of 

 hitherto un- ^ e more abundant prefence of another equally remarkable 

 fubftance, which mull be carried to the numerous clafs of me- 

 tals. He found this fubftance in two foffils obtained from 

 different fituations : in one place it was united with iron and 

 manganefe, and in the other with iron and gadoline. 

 Infallible in all This new metallic fubftance is characterized by its infolu- 

 the acids; fo- _ fcffity j n a ll the acids. The only re-agent that has any action 

 alkali • on *"* 1S ^ xec ^ cauftic alkali. When expofed to the fire with 



that alkali, the mafs being afterwards lixiviated, it partly dif- 

 precipitable by folves in water, and may be precipitated from this folution by 

 acid, but not for me ans of an acid, but the precipitate is not in the leaft at- 

 e * tacked, however great the quantity of acid employed. When 



feparated by filtration and dried, it has the form of an ex-* 

 the precipitate tremely white powder, which does not change colour even at 

 white, even after a re d heat. The remainder of the mafs being treated with, 

 ignition, a cids, affords the fame powder. Its fpecific gravity, after 



foluble by heat ignition, is 6,500. It is fiifible with the blow-pipe, by the 

 with alkaline addition of alkaline phofphate and borate of foda, but it does 

 rate? but gives* not communicate any colour to the flux. 



no colour. When expofed to a ftrong heat in a crucible, without any 



lc is re uci e to ^ except pounded charcoal, it is reduced to a mode- 



a metallic button r i 



bychatcoalj rately hard button, having a metallic brilliancy at its furface, 

 and is then ox- but its fracture is dull and blackifh. The acids have no other 

 ioahle, but not a #j on on t \ } \ s kind of regulus, than that of caufmg it to return 

 ', to the ftate of white oxide. The eircumftances of the reduc- 

 tion, as well as the fpecific gravity of this fingular fubftance^ 

 feem to place it among the metals, and I have fufticient reafon 

 It appears to be to be perfuaded that it is not the fame as any of thofe hitherto 

 a new metal j k n0 wn. The fubftances with which it is likely to be con- 

 founded are the oxides of tin, of tungften, and of titanium, 

 which are foluble in the cauftic alkalis, and in all circum- 

 not tin, becaufe ftances refift the action of acids. But the oxide of tin is eafy 



infuluble, and , b e diffolved and reduced; tungften is-eafily detected by its 



not, like it, re- . , . . °, . . 



ducible ; folubihty in ammonia, and by the blue colour it communicates 



nor tungften, ' - "tQ 



becaufe it isnei- 



