324 Oh the Alloys of Steel. 



of ironr:50,99 iron, and 5.4-of oxide of nickel. r=4. 51 nickel, 

 or per cent. 



Iron 91.00 

 Nickel 8.01 

 Loss 0.99 



100.00 

 The mean of the three gives 8.96 per cent of nickel. 

 The meteoric iron was dissolved in aqua regia, and the iron 

 thrown down by pure ammonia, well washed, and heated red. 



In the first experiment the ammoniacal solution was eva- 

 porated to dryness, the ammonia driven off by heat, and the 

 oxide of nickel re-dissolved in nitric acid, and precipitated by 

 pure potassa, the mixture being boiled a few seconds. 



In tiie third experiment the nickel was thrown down from the 

 ammoniacal solution at once by pure potassa. The first method 

 is best, for a minute portion of oxide of nickel escaped precipi- 

 tation in the last experiment, to which the loss is probably to 

 to be attributed. 



All the precipitates were heated to redness. J. G. C. 



We attempted to make imitations of the meteoric irons 

 with perfect success. To some good iron (horseshoe nails,) 

 were added three per cent, of pure nickel ; these were en- 

 closed in a crucible, and exposed to a high temperature in the 

 air-furnace for some hours. The metals were fused, and on 

 examining the button, the nickel was found in combination with 

 the iron. The alloy was taken to the forge, and proved under 

 the hammer to be quite as malleable and pleasant to work as 

 pure iron; the colour when polished rather whiter. This speci- 

 men, together with a small bar of meteoric iron, have been ex- 

 posed to a moist atmosphere ; they are both a little rusted. In 

 this case it was omitted to expose a piece of pure iron with 

 them ; it is probable that, under these circumstances, the pure 

 iron would have been more acted upon. 



The same success attended in making the alloy to imitate the 

 Siberian meteoric iron agreeably to Mr. Children's analysis. We 

 fused some of the same good irou, with 10 per cent, nickel ; the 



