10 AßT. 16. — M. OGAWA : 



about one-half of that of thorianite. This mineral was once 

 thought to be zircon, but, on further examination, it has been 

 found that it is a double silicate of zirconium and nipponium, 

 and about 50grs. of it have been picked out from 5 kilograms 

 of thorianite. It is hoped that several grams of nipponium may 

 now be obtained from this source, about a gram of the metal 

 having been already prepared by the electrolysis of the double 

 fluoride of nipponium and potassium. 



Examination of the Sulphide Residue from Thorianite. 



While in University College, London, Sir William Ramsay 

 gave me for investigation li kilograms of crude hydrogen sulphide 

 precipitate obtained from 5 cwt. of thorianite. This was ignited, 

 in the air, fused with hydrogen potassium sulphate, extracted with 

 water and reprecipitated by hydrogen sulphide. The filtrate from 

 the precipitated sulphides was treated as in the ordinary course of 

 analysis, and the solution, after the iron-group precipitate had 

 been removed, had a deep reddish brown colour. It did not, 

 however, produce any precipitate with ammonium sulphide, but 

 the colour was suspected to be due to the presence of an unknown 

 element. The sulphur, separated out from the solution on the 

 addition of hydrochloric acid after ammonium sulphide had 

 been added, was found to possess a deep brown colour and to 

 leave a brown residue on ignition. About 100 grams of this 

 sulphur have been brought with me to Japan, and recently 

 examined with the following results. 



On ignition, the sulphur gave about 8 per cent of the 

 residue. This was repeatedly extracted with hot concentrated 

 nitric acid, and it was found that the first portions of the extract 



