328 Professor Hausmann o}i Metallurgical Phenomena 



logy, as it forms the groundwork of all other geological views 

 and illustrations, and relates to that process of the earth 

 which has had the greatest influence not only on the gradual 

 change of its surface, but also on various other relations, — an 

 influence which it still continues to exert. Now, if that theory 

 be assumed, we shall be compelled to assume as constituent 

 parts of the original mass of the earth, not only the com- 

 mon metals and the metals of the earths and alkalies, but also 

 the so-called metalloids, viz. sulphur, carbon, chlorine, and fluor, 

 whose reactions on the metallic substances were assuredly not 

 without influence in the grand process of transformation. It 

 speaks volumes in favour of the above mentioned theory, that 

 the oxidized substances of that part of the earth's crust which 

 has been formed under the influence of heat, are principally 

 those whose bases possess the greatest affinity to oxygen, parti- 

 cularly the earths and alkalies ; whereas the larger masses of 

 those substances which have a less intimate affinity to oxygen, 

 to-wit, the greater proportion of the common metals, and espe- 

 cially those termed precious, are found, partly in the reguline 

 condition, partly united with the metalloids, particularly with 

 sulphur. And here it is particularly deserving of notice, that 

 among those oxidized substances, are many to be found whose 

 metals possess the property of extracting oxygen from water ; 

 and this holds good especially of iron and manganese, whose 

 oxides belong to the substances, which, along with several earths 

 and alkalies, exist in the greatest profusion in the oxydized crust 

 of the earth. It appears further, that those substances existing 

 in the crust of the earth in an unoxydized state, are met with 

 chiefly in more or less confined spaces, which are separated 

 from the general oxydized mass, and so disposed that we are 

 authorised to assume that their transposition into those spaces 

 took place at a different time from that of the formation of 

 the rock or rocks, in which they are contained. And here 

 it is not to be overlooked, that if we contrast the occurrence 

 of the oxydized substances in the crust of the earth with 

 those that arc not oxydized, we must distinguish the produc- 

 tions of the general process of oxydation from those which owe 

 their immediate origin to more recent and partial processes of 

 transformation ; and to this latter class, namely, belong many 



