1866. | Mining and Metallurgy. 113 
M. de Cizancourt, in a paper addressed to the Academy of 
Sciences, puts forth a new theory of Iron and Steel. Oxides of iron 
have usually been considered as degrees of oxidation of the same 
metal; M. Cizancourt adopts a view put forward in the first 
instance by Berzelius, that there are two sorts of “ Iron-metal,” 
to which he respectively gave the names of ferricum and ferroswm ; 
these are supposed to represent two allotropic states of iron. 
Ferrosum is the metal extracted from the protoxide of iron through 
the reducing agency of hydrogen; the nearest approach to this is 
commercial iron, being what is called “ bright iron.” The iron 
derived from the anhydrous peroxide is the metal called ferricum. 
The common sorts of foundry iron are supposed to be this metal 
with some carbon. The author says that certain kinds of cast-iron 
identical in their chemical composition, appear so different from each 
other, and give such opposite results in working them, as to compel 
us to distinguish them in practice. In metallurgy, M. de Cizancourt 
contends, the various sorts of iron are a matter of mere secondary 
importance ; the real characteristic to be taken into account being, 
the degree of oxidation of the ore, from which they have been 
extracted. Malleable iron is supposed to be formed of mixtures in 
variable quantities of the two kinds of iron which pass into the 
state of “ferricum.” Steel is also supposed, according to M. Cizan- 
court’s view, to be a reunion of the two conditions of iron; the 
metal being the more perfect the nearer the two irons unite in the 
proportions in which they exist in the mineral state. 
MINERALOGY. 
For some time past attention has been directed to a remarkable 
phosphatic mineral, discovered near Cwmgynen, about sixteen miles 
from Oswestry. 
It occurs as a nearly perpendicular vein in a dark bituminous 
limestone. The following analyses of this mineral have been 
published by Dr. T. L. Phipson*:—Nos. 1 and 2 were solid 
specimens, weighing several pounds, taken from different localities ; 
No. 3 was a powdered specimen from another part of the mine ; 
while No. 4 is a mean analysis of three other district specimens. 
Ib Il. IIL. IV. 
BRETHOMMP Geshe pneu’ ise 0) 6 5 8:00 3°00 6-00 5:00 
MhosphateofIron . . . . . 29 40 19°00 27 00 14:60 
Phosphate of Lime . . . « . 13:00 50:00 — — 
Lime ° . . e. e e e e e L——) a Dill 91 iv F 43 
Silicate of Alumina . .. . 44-00 26:00 22-02 38-60 
mroloxide Of Iron. . +. . « « — — 20°88 9-87 
Carbonates of Iron, Lime, &c. . . 5:60 2°00 Zag 14°15 
100-00 10000 ~=—'100-00-~—«100-00 
This mineral is evidently a compound of phosphoric acid with 
* See ‘ Reader,’ October 21, 1865. See ‘Chemical News’ also. 
VOL. III. I 
