66 Professor Hausmann on Metallurgical Phenomena 



slagSf does not remain without reaction on the process of the 

 purification of the iron in yielding oxygen to the carbon, by 

 which means one part of the oxidized iron is again reduced, and 

 combined with the rest of the iron mass. The nearer the mass 

 approaches purity, the further is it removed from a state of 

 fluidity ; and while, by the influence of suitable manipulations, 

 the particles of the iron are united to a mass which is more or 

 less encompassed by the slags formed during the process, the 

 said mass passes gradually into the state in which, by due pres- 

 sure, it may be moulded into any form at pleasure. 



Now, if we compare this process with the theory of the plu- 

 tonic and volcanic rocks above alluded to, a strong analogy 

 will be conspicuous. Deviations occur chiefly in this, that in the 

 mass of the earth's nucleus, out of which those mountain masses 

 are generated, a greater variety of ingredients must be assumed 

 than usually exist in the ore, as well as a different quantitative 

 relation ; and that, at the commencement and during the con- 

 tinuance of the great process of terrestrial transformation, water 

 indubitably plays a chief part, whereas in the refining of iron 

 {eisenj'risch process) it is principally the oxygen of the air which 

 produces the oxidation. What we have alleged above concerning 

 the latter process makes it apparent, how, in the oxidation of the 

 earth's actual surface, one part of the ingredients might undergo a 

 change, while another remained protected against it. That pro- 

 cess shews that, although the atmospherical air chiefly affects 

 merely the surface of the crude iron mass, yet the substances that 

 have a closer affinity to oxygen than iron has, are gradually se- 

 parated from it even in the interior. Something of the same 

 kind, too, we may be allowed to assume, in the process of oxi- 

 dation that goes forward on the earth's actual surface, since even 

 here, when the substances that have a close affinity to oxygen, 

 combine with it, and thereby separate from the unoxydized sub- 

 stances, a compensation to the same substances ensues from the 

 mass that exists beneath it. The formation of slags in the 

 refining process teaches us, that from the same mass at vari- 

 ous times, slags of very various composition may arise. Proceed- 

 ing from a mass which contains several ingredients in various 

 deo-rees of affinity to oxygen, the oxides, whose bases have a 

 closer relation to oxygen, abound in the slags of earlier creation 



