Neiv Metal discovered l-y M. Trormdorff. 21 5 



d. Caustic ammonia in excess produced neither preci- 

 pitate nor change of colour. 



These experiments prove that there was no iron, no cop- 

 per, nor nickel, in the mineral ; but its manner of acting 

 with the reagents, to which it was submitted, made M^ 

 TromsdorfF suspect the presence of a new metal, which 

 tl>e above experiment demonstrated, and that this metal was 

 combined with sulphur, and was volatile. 



4. The shining black sublimate was as well as possible 

 ■separated from the yellow, and put to digest with nitric 

 acid. It dissolved entirely, disengaging nitrous gas, and 

 formed a clear and colourless solution. M. Tromsdortf 

 then saturated the excess of the acid by liquid ammonia, 

 and successively decomposed it in portions with the above 

 reagents. He obtained the same results as before. 



5. Some grains of the fossil were then heated with some 

 nitro-muriatic acid. It dissolved entirely, except a light 

 residue of a reddish yellow colour, which was apparently 

 sulphur in combination with some metallic particles. The 

 solution when filtered was at first clear, but grew turbid on 

 pooling. It was saturated with ammonia, and decomposed 

 hy the same reagents as formerly. The results were the 

 same. 



6. Some grains of the fossil were put to digest with 

 ■muriatic acid. It disengaged from it sulphurized hydro- 

 gen gas, and the fossil became brownish : however, the 

 acid attacked it but slowly. The remainder of the ibssll 

 was put to boil even to dryness with colourless sulphuric 

 acid concentrated, and the residue was diluted with water. 

 It dissolved itself entirely, except a powder almost yellow, 

 which, when collected on the filter, washed and dried, burnt 

 Jike sulphur. 



The solution had a reddish colowr, and contained much 

 free acid. It was tried by several reagents, 



(I. Prussiate of potash produced a green precipitate. 



h. Hydro-sulphuret of ammonia produced a shamoy 

 precipitate. 



c. Tincture of galls, a bluelsh gray precipitate. 



d. Caustic alkali, a white precipitate. 



e. Carbonate of potash, the same precipitate. 



7. The two last precipitates remained v^hitc when ex- 

 posed to the air. They dissolved easily in acetic acid, with 

 which they gave a colourless solution, which was divided, 

 and submitted to the following experiments : 



a. In a part of tiic solution was put a small polished piece 

 O 4 of 



