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Analysis of a New Mineral, containing a hitherto unknown 

 Earth, by Jacob Berzelius. 



The mineral, of which the analysis is contained in the follow- 

 ing paper, is found in syenite, upon the island Lov-on, lying 

 off the coast of Brevig, in Norway. It was there discovered by 

 Pastor Esmarck (son of Jens Esmarck, Professor of Mineralogy 

 in the University of Xiania), who sent me a specimen of it for 

 analysis, imagining, from its high specific gravity, that it might 

 contain tantalum. 



The mineral is black, without any signs of crystalline form or 

 texture, and resembles entirely in external characters the gado- 

 linite of Ytterby. Its surface is sometimes covered with a thin 

 layer of a dark rust colour. It is very brittle, and full of cracks, 

 on opening which the surface has a dull greasy lustre. On 

 an entirely recent surface the fracture is glassy. It is heavy, 

 having a specific gravity of 4.63. It is not very hard, being 

 easily scratched by the knife. Its streak is greyish red. In 

 powder, the mineral has a pale brownish red colour, becoming 

 lighter the finer it is rubbed. Heated before the blowpipe, it 

 loses its black colour, gives out water, and becomes nearly of 

 the same colour as when reduced to powder, but does not melt. 

 Heated to redness in an open tube, it gives off a very minute 

 trace of fluoric acid. 



With borax it melts easily, and if the mineral be in large 

 quantity becomes opaque on cooling. No opacity is produced 

 hy flaming. The colour of the glass indicates the presence of 

 iron. With saltpetre it shews also the presence of manganese. 

 With phosphoric salt it melts, leaving a residue of silica, and the 

 glass, which is coloured by iron, becomes opalescent on cool- 

 ing. Here also, with saltpetre, the presence of manganese is 

 indicated. With carbonate of soda the mineral is decomposed 

 without melting, and leaves on the charcoal a yellow brown 

 slag. By reduction *, if borax be added, small white metallic 

 globules are obtained, which flatten under the hammer. They 

 are lead, containing a trace of tin. On a plate of platinum, 

 with carbonate of soda, the mass becomes green. 



* In the inner flame of the lamp. 



