330 Prof. Berzeiius on two nezvly discovered Mineral Species. 



small a quantity, both the nature and the relative proportions 

 of the ingredients could be ascertained with perfect exactness, 

 particularly as we are yet in want of exact methods for sepa- 

 rating zirconia and titanic acid, or yttria and protoxide of 

 manganese. 



The analysis itself was conducted in the following manner : 



A. As the mineral may be decomposed by sulphuric acid, 

 it first underwent that process. The sulphates dissolved in 

 water, left behind a white powder, which was well lixiviated 

 with hot water, and then exposed to a red heat. Upon the 

 supposition, that it was tantalie acid, it was melted together 

 with sulphate of potash with excess of acid, and yielded a 

 transparent yellow mass, from which the salt was extracted by 

 water, leaving the white substance undissolved. The latter 

 became green, when hydro-sulphuret of ammonia was poured 

 on it. The filtrated fluid being evaporated, left a trace of a 

 metallic sulphuret, which seemed to be sulphuret of tin. The 

 green substance was soluble in muriatic acid, with the excep- 

 tion only of a slight trace of the metallic sulphuret mentioned 

 above ; and, therefore, it could not be tantalie acid. 



The solution was yellow. First tartaric acid, and then an 

 excess of ammonia were added, in order to precipitate the 

 white substance, and to retain the oxide of iron, but no change 

 ensued. The iron was therefore precipitated by hydro-sul- 

 phuret of ammonia, the precipitate dissolved in nitro-muriatic 

 acid, and again precipitated by caustic ammonia. 



B. Muriate of lime was added to the remaining fluid, the 

 precipitate washed, exposed to a red heat for decomposing the 

 tartaric acid, and freed from lime by muriatic acid. A white 

 powder remained, which appeared yellow while hot, but be- 

 came perfectly white on cooling. Before the blow-pipe it 

 proved to be titanic acid. 



C. The solution in sulphuric acid (A) and the water, with 

 which the precipitates had been washed, were precipitated by 

 caustic ammonia; the precipitate filtered and washed. Lime- 

 was precipitated from the fluid by oxalate of ammonia, and 

 then transformed into carbonate of lime. The remaining fluid, 

 evaporated and exposed to a red heat, gave a saline mass, con- 

 taining potash and magnesia. 



