Chemical Eeanenaien of Microlite. 339 
. E. 11-5 centigrammes of tlie ignited mineral (B) were mingled 
with 25 centigrammes of Bartionate of potassa and heated to white- 
ness for fifteen minutes. An imperfect fusion in the mixture was 
the result. The porous mass assumed a pale bluish color. On the 
addition of water, it became obvious that but a small portion of the 
mineral had suffered decomposition. It was accordingly treated toa 
new portion of the alcaline carbonate, and the crucible maintained 
at a white heat for one hour. The fusion was now complete, and 
the mass on cooling assumed a delicate sky-blue color. It was sep- 
arated from the crucible by means of dilute acetic acid. 
- The clear acetic solution gave no precipitate with acetate of 
lead, thereby evincing the absence of phosphoric aci 
G. Hydrosal phate. of ammonia occasioned no rroulilldg in the 
acetic solution, from which the absence of iron was inferred. 
H. Oxalate of ammonia produced a cloudiness and a precipitate 
in the acetic solution ; which was occasioned, as afterwards became 
more apparent, from the presence of lime and yttria. 
he matter undissolved by acetic acid was digested for some 
time with hydrochloric acid. A part of the solution, on being treat- 
ed with the hydrosulphate of ammonia, yielded a black precipitate 
which was insoluble in excess of the precipitant. It was therefore 
attributed to protoxide of uranium in the mineral. 
. The residuum left by the hydrochloric acid in J, was digested 
in hydrosul phate of ammonia. The solution was separated by the 
filter, and evaporated to dryness. Ammonia was added to the resi- 
duum and the clear solution treated with nitric acid; a yellow pre- 
Cipitate fel]. Tungstic acid is consequently an ingredient of mi- 
crolite. 
K. Another portion of the hydrochloric solution (I) was treated 
with a crust of sulphate of potassa crystals and set aside for twenty 
four hours, at the expiration of which time a perceptible accumula- 
tion of fine white grains was perceived, thus proving the presence of 
one or more earths, forming double salts with sulphate of potassa. 
L. The residuum after digestioh in hydrosulphate of ammonia, 
(J,) was fused with six times its weight of carbonate of soda and 
heated to whiteness. ‘To the clear solution obtained by boiling wa- 
ter on the fused mass, nitric acid was added. A heavy white pre- 
cipitate fell ; nitrate of silver also threw down a precipitate, which 
was insoluble in nitric acid. Tartaric acid produced no troubling in 
the aqueous solution. Columbic acid was thus found to be a con- 
Stituent of the mineral. 
