On a new Metal called 'Tellurium. 79 



uietal, or whether what had been taken for a particular kind 

 of metal might not be only antimony. The repeated and 

 ingenious experiments made by M. Klaproth on a more con- 

 fiderable quantity of the ore, which had been tranfmitted to 

 him by M. de Reichenftein, fully confirmed the conjectures 

 of the latter as well as thofe of Bergman. 



Procefsfor obtainitig the Metal from the Ore. 



I. The ore is gently heated with fix parts of the muriatic 

 acid ; three parts of the nitric acid being then added, the 

 mixture is boiled ; upon which there arifes a very confiderable 

 effervefcence, and a complete folution is obtained. 



1. The filtered folution is diluted with as much water as 

 it can bear without becoming turbid, which is a very fmai? 

 quantity, and a folution of cauftic potafh is then added to 

 the liquor, until the white precipitate which is at firft formed 

 difappears again, and nothing remains but a brown flaky 

 fediment. 



3. This laft precipitate is the oxyde of gold mixed with the 

 oxyde of iron, and a feparation is effected by the common 



• means. 



4. The muriatic acid is added to the alkaline folution (2) 

 in fufficient quantity to faturate the alkali entirely : an ex- 

 cefs of the acid mutt be avoided. A white precipitate, 

 which, by heat, fettles at the bottom of the veffel under the 

 form of a heavy powder, is produced in great abundance. 

 After the precipitate has been waflied and dried, it is formed 

 into a kind of pafte with a fufficient quantity of any fat oil ; 

 and this mafs is put into a fmall glafs retort, to which a re- 

 cipient is flightly fitted. When this arrangement is made, 

 it is gradually brought to a red heat ; and in proportion as the 

 oil is decompofed, there are obferved, as in the diftilhtion of 

 mercury, brilliant and metallic drops which cover the upper 

 part of the retort, and which, at intervals, fall to the bottom 

 of the veffel, and are immediately replaced by others. After 

 it has cooled, metallic fixed drops are found adhering to the 

 fides of the retort and at the bottom of the . vefiel, and the 



remainder 



