348 Memoir «« the Vropeiiies of Ytlria Earth 



phate of foda : the oxide of titanium gives a hyacinth co- 

 lour to borax, and becomes foluble in acids by fufion with 

 carl)onate of potafli*. 



Before I defcribe the chemical analyfis which I under- 

 took of the two fubdances, which I confider as ores of the 

 new metal, it is proper I fliould give a defcription of their 

 external charaftcrs. In order to avoid circumlocution, when 

 neceflary to name them I fliall venture to give them a ge- 

 neric denomination. Taking advantage of the ufage which 

 admits mythologic appellations, and to cxprefs the property 

 which the new metal has, of not becoming faturated with 

 the acids in which it is immerfed, I fhall apply to it the 

 name of Tantalus. For the ore compofed of tantalus, iron 

 and manganefe I propofe the name of tmitalite; and lor the 

 ore containing yttria, that o^jttrotantalite, which will not be 

 found longer than that vHfiderotitantte. 



The fpecimen of tantalite was given to me by M. Geegcr, 

 direftor of the mines ; who aflTured me that this fubftance 

 has been known fince 1746, and conlidered as a problematic 

 variety of the garnet of tin, [zhingraupev.) It is found 

 near the farm of Brokaern, in the parifh of Kimito, and go- 

 vernment of Abo, in Finland, in a large mountain on the 

 borders of the Baltic. The matrix is compofed of white 

 quartz and mica, with veins of red fcldfpar in large lamime, 

 matters of which the fides of the vein are formed : the tita- 

 nite is found difperfed throughf)ut it, in the form of ^arnet. 



What I faw was in detaclied cryftals, of the hze of a 

 walnut, and the belt defined feemed to approach the oc- 

 thaedral form ; they were charged with parcels of feldfpar and 

 mica. 



Its furface is fmooth, fhinlng, and blackifli. 



Its frafture is compaft, and has a certain metallic fplen- 

 dour: the colour of the frafture is not every where the fame; 

 it varies between grayifli blue and the black of iron. 



When powdered, it is blackifli gray inclining a little to 

 brown. 



It has fufficient hardnefs to Rrike fire with (leel. 



I have not obferved that it has any attraction for the 

 magnet. 



Its fpecific gravity is 7'953> 



The yttrotantaius is found in the fame place and in the 

 fame matrix as the gadolinitc. Klaproth fays that the latter 



* I had, however, enttrtainccl fome fiiCpicions in regard to die identity 

 of the new lubftance and the l=ft-nieutioiic(l nutal ; and I was not fully 

 convinced of its not cxifiirg, hut by comparing it with the titanized iron 

 of Norwav, which I dtcoinpofLd for that purpofe. 



is 



