NOTE ON A NEW ELEMENT IN THOKIANITE. Ö- 



and the solution reprecipitated by sodium thiosulphate, the usual 

 precautions being taken. 



The precipitate was once noore dissolved in concentrated 

 hydrochloric acid and, after evaporating off the excess of the 

 acid and heating with some sulphuric acid, a saturated solution 

 of potassium sulphate was added to the solution. After standing 

 for 24 hours, the double sulphate of zirconium and potassium, 

 which was formed, was filtered off. The filtrate was evaporated 

 to a small bulk, and the crystals formed of potassium sulphate and 

 alum were removed. After mixins; the Q;reenish coloured mother 

 liquor with 90 9^ alcohol and filtering, ammonia was added to 

 the solution, when a pale yellow precipitate, believed to consist 

 of the hydroxide of the new element, was obtained. 



Properties of the oxide. The hydroxide above obtained is 

 insoluble in ammonium chloride. It dissolves in alkalies, but 

 not so easily as aluminium hydroxide. On drying at 100°, it 

 becomes nearly black and, on ignition, it changes to a dark brown 

 powder. The ignited oxide is insoluble in acids, even in hot 

 concentrated sulphuric acid to which some hydrofluoric acid has 

 been added. On fusion with hydrogen potassium sulphate, 

 however, and extracting the fused mass with water, the oxide 

 may again be brought to solution. On fusion with sodium 

 carbonate and potassium nitrate, the oxide gives a green mass, 

 having much the same appearance as that of an alkaline manganate. 

 This dissolves in water and forms a green boloured solution, 

 from which a current of carbonic acid produces a brown pre- 

 cipitate, soluble in hydrochloric acid. 



A solution of the hydroxide in hydrochloric acid has a 

 yellowish green colour and gives a chocolate brown precipitate 

 on boiling with sodium thiosulphate. The same solution gives a 



