NOTE ON A NEW ELE3IENT IN THORIANITE. 9 



' course of his analysis of tliorianite, observed the precipitation of 

 a small quantity of a black sulphide in the arsenic group and 

 occurence of two other unknown substances in the bismuth- 

 cadmium group {Ghem. News, 1906, 94, 233). I have not only 

 confirmed his observations with thorianite, but have also met 

 with the same unknown substances in the course of my examina- 

 tion of reinite and molybdenite. It is a striking case of coin- 

 cidence that the three different minerals should contain these 

 same unknown substances, besides the new element which forms 

 the subject of this paper. 



Conclusions. 



Thorianite, reinite and molybdenite contain, in common, a 

 new element, which is characterised by the following properties : 



1. The hydroxide, precipitated by ammonia in the presence 

 of an excess of ammonium chloride, has an almost white colour 

 w^ith a pale yellow tinge. It is soluble in alkalies, but not so 

 readily as aluminium hydroxide. 



2. On drying at 100°, it becomes nearly black. The ignited 

 oxide has a dark brown colour and is insoluble in acids, but 

 becomes soluble in water after fusion with hydrogen potassium 

 sulphate. 



3. A solution of the hydroxide in hydrochloric acid has a 

 yellowish green colour and gives a chocolate brown precipitate 

 on boiling with sodium thiosulphate. 



4. When ammonium sulphide is added to a solution of the 

 chloride, a greenish black precipitate, insoluble in an excess of 

 the reagent, is formed. 



o. A solution of the chloride, acidified with acetic acid. 



