in 



NorwaTf and in Canada, 13 



cobalt, is roasted in reverberatory furnaces, and being mixed with 

 the richer schlichs, which have also been calcined in the same 

 way, forms what is called zafFre, containing about 30 per cent 

 cobalt oxide. This is sent to market in England, where it is ma- 

 nufactured into cobalt oxide and smalt. A small quantity of the 

 former product is manufactured on the spot in the humid way, 

 but this quantity does not exceed one sixth of the whole amouct 

 of the cobalt oxide here produced in manufactured and unmanufac- 

 tured products. '^)' 



The fahlbands in the neighbourhood of Ertelien, and Ringerike, 

 have not been so carefully studied as those of Kongsberg and 

 and Skuterud ; nevertheless it admits of no doubt, that the nickel 

 mines of the former locality occur on impregnated zones of 

 rock like the fahlbands. The deposits are irregular masses of 

 magnetic iron pyrites containing two per cent of metallic nickel. 

 Although a definite veinstone is not observable, it appears from 

 the presence of selvages in various places, that the deposits par- 

 take of the nature of veins. Besides the nickeliferous pyrites, 

 copper pyrites is produced at the mines in some quantity, but 

 so contaminated w^ith the former, as to be altogether useless 

 as a copper ore. Occasionally, beautiful crystals of iron pyrites 

 (pentagonal dodecahedrons), have been found, containing two 

 per cent of metallic cobalt. The nickeliferous pyrites is sorted 

 out at the mine, very pure, almost entirely free from rock. 

 It is then roasted in heaps, and smelted in a shaft furnace 

 with the addition of a little limestone. The resulting products 

 are a very heavy slag, with is a basic silicate of ferrous oxide ; a 

 regulus of sulphuret of iron, containing about six per cent nickel, 

 and iron swine, which collect in the interior of the furnace during 

 the smelting, and interfere very much with its proper working. 

 The regulus is again roasted in heaps and smelted, a more con- 

 centrated regulus with thirty per cent of nickel, resulting. The 

 regulus, as well as the iron swine produced in both smeltings, are 

 farther refined on a hearth similar to that used on the continent 

 for refining copper. A farther scorification of iron takes place in 

 this operation, and a regulus with fifty per cent of nickel and fifteen 

 per cent of copper results, which after being ground to powxler, is 

 sent to market. It is mostly sent to Hamburg and sold to Ger- 

 man nickel refiners. These mines were formerly wrought, and the 

 pyrites roasted for the manufacture of copperas ; it is only during 

 the last fourteen years that they have been wrought for nickel. 



