328 Prof. Berzelius on tsve newly discovered Mineral Species. 



lime ; it is distinguished from it, however, by its being infusi- 

 ble without addition, and much more difficultly soluble in salt 

 of phosphorus. With boracic acid, and a piece of iron-wire, 

 it gives much phosphuret of iron. It is insoluble in acids, 

 even when they are concentrated. 



The analysis was conducted in the following manner : 

 The mineral, having been melted with carbonate of soda, was 

 digested in water, which left a pale yellow earthy substance 

 undissolved. The alcaline solution was saturated with acetic 

 acid, evaporated to dryness, redissolved in water, (by which 

 process, a trace of silica was obtained,) and then precipitated 

 by acetate of lead. As the precipitate, produced in this man- 

 ner, is always the combination expressed by the formula 



P6 3 P 2 , which, in the present instance, was likewise verified 

 by actual analysis, the relative quantity of phosphoric acid 

 could be thus ascertained. Since we must suspect the presence 

 of fluoric acid in almost every natural body containing the phos- 

 phoric acid, a small quantity of the mineral was analyzed, for 

 the purpose of ascertaining its existence; and, in fact, some 

 very distant, though slight indications of this substance were 

 obtained. The earthy powder left from the first process, was 

 digested in muriatic acid, which left behind a small quantity 

 of silica, and undecomposed mineral. The solution was added 

 in drops to a solution of carbonate of ammonia, which dissolv- 

 ed entirely the precipitate that had been formed in the be- 

 ginning. The fluid was now evaporated, and the muriate of 

 ammonia driven away, the residue again dissolved in muriatic 

 acid, and then brought to dryness. Upon redissolving it in 

 water, a dark brown substance remained, which was phos- 

 phate of iron, with excess of base, and which seems to be the 

 colouring matter in the mineral. It did not contain any ce- 

 rium. That the earthy base, united with the phosphoric acid 

 was yttria, appears from the character, that the solutions pos- 

 sess a taste as sweet as sugar, as also from the amethyst-co- 

 loured difficultly soluble salt, which it formed with sulphuric 

 acid, and which effloresced and became milk-white, without 

 losing its form. 



