[ 290 ] 



at this day in the northern countries of Sweden, Norway and 

 Lapland adjacent to it, its particles may have been kept in folution 

 by the fixed air, and the argillaceous, filiceous and carbonaceous 

 particles may have been long fufpended, Thefe muddy waters 

 mixing with thofe impregnated with bitumen, the following 

 combinations muft have taken place : i''. If carbonic matter was 

 alfo contained in the water, this uniting to the bitumen muft have 

 run into maffes no longer fufpenfible in water, and formed ftrata 

 of coal, z'^"- The calces of iron by the con tad of bitumen were in 

 great meafure gradually reduced, and together with the argillaceous 

 and filiceous precipitated on the fummits of feveral of the moun- 

 tains not yet emerged, and thus formed bafaltic mafiTes, that during 

 deficcation fplit into columns ; in other places they covered the 

 carbonaceous mafl^es already depofited, and by abforbing much 

 of their bitumen rendered them lefs inflammable, and hence the 

 connexion which the fagaciou8 Werner obferved between bafalts 

 and coal. The fixed or oxygen air, erupting from many of them, 

 formed thofe cavities, which being filled by the fubfequent infil- 

 tration of fuch of their ingredients as were fuperfluous to their 

 bafaltic ftate, formed calcedonies, zeolytes, olivins, bafaltines, 

 fpars, &c. Hence mod of the mountains of Sweden that afford 

 iron, afford alfo bitumen •. Hence alfo the afphalt found with 

 Trap f and under bafalts J, and in balls of calcedony found in 



Trap§. 



This 



• Berg. Jour. 1789. p. 2005. f Beroldingon Mercury, p. 38 and 240. 



$ Von Salis 171. 3. Nofe, 146. § 10 Naturforfch, 43. 



