55^ /nalyfis of the Aqua-tHartne or Beryl, 



IX. 



Anahjts of the Jqua-mnrine or Beryl ; and the Difcovery of a new Earth in that Stem, 

 Read bfore the French National IrflUute it) Pluviofey in the Tear VI, (Feb, 14. 1798.) 

 By Citizen VaV^ELIN *. 



SeBlon I. JntrodtiBion. 



X H E analyfis of minerals is one of thofe operations which are ufually confidered to be- 

 of little importance, and are fubmitted, by cheniifts of the firit order, as unworthy of 

 their care, to the manipulation of their pupils. 



I am wdl aware that the greater number of analyfes afford refults of little import- 

 ance, which do not repay the labour and the time bellowed in obtaining them. I am 

 likcwife aware that thep<lo not offer fo brilliant a profpefl, nor promife to afford 

 refults of fo general a nature, as the plan of operation which has been formed with regard 

 to fomc of the mod important points in chemiflry. But I am not, from thefe reafon's, of 

 opinion, that this clafs of proccffes, which has like wife its difficulties, and requiies, for 

 its fuccefsful conduft, a certain fcrics of reafoniiig, and particularly an exa£c knowledge 

 of the bodies defcribed ; — I am not of opinion that it is fo little entitled to engage the atten- 

 tion of philofophical chemifts. For they mull recolle£l, that it has afforded them the folid 

 foundation of their theories, and new objefts for the exercife of their abilities. 



From a difregard of this kind it was that Bergmann, whofe aflive mind could not fub- 

 mit to the details of experiment, has committed fo many faults, by trufting his operations 

 to young pupils, who had not acquired the habit of diftinguiflilng new fubftances from thofe 

 ■which were already known. 



The analyfis of the beryl, already made by Bindheim, M'ill be a proof of what I here 

 advance. It is compofed, according to him, of filex 64, alumine 27, lime 8, and iron 2. 



Citizen Hauy having found a perfedl agreement between the ffrudlure, hardnefs, and 

 weight of the beryl and the emerald, engaged me, fome months ago, to compare thefe 

 two ftones by chemical means alfo, in order to know whether they were compofed of the 

 fcime principles in fimilar proportions. 



The mod interefting circumilance to the Inftitute in this refult being a new earth, 

 which I have difcovered in the beryl, 1 ftiall pafs llightly over the other objedls, and dweil 

 more particularly on its dillinfllve properties. 



ZeSlion II. The Method of Analyfis, 



Experiment I. One hundred parts of beryl reduced to fine powder were fufcd with 

 300 parts of cauftic potafli ; the raafs, after cooling, was diffufed in water, and treated 

 with the muriatic acid : by this means the folution was corripleted. 



The muriatic folution was evaporated to drynefs ; towards the end of the evaporation 

 the fluid affumcd the form of a jelly : the dried matter was then diffufed in a large quantity-«f 

 water. Part of the matter was diffolved ; but a white, granulated tranfparent powder re^ 

 mained. 1 his fubftance, colletled on a filter, waflied with much water, and dried by 

 ijgnition, weighed 69 parts. It had all the properties of filex. 



• Axinales de Chimie, xxvi. 155. 



Exptrimtni 



