1813.] in. the Collin giuood Main Colliery. 287 



however praiseworthy under other circumstances ; for the loss 

 of valuable lives from explosions is greatly upon the increase, 

 and demands the serious attention of every good man. If this 

 account of the explosion, which is the only one hitherto drawn 

 up, merits a place in the Annals of Philosophy, the Editor 

 ^hall hear from me again upon this most interesting subject, 

 August, 1813. 6&ttea»$. 



Article VIII. 



On the Manner of separating the Oxide of Iron from the Oxide 

 of Manganese. By M. Bucholz.* 



M. Bucholz, after having described all the difficulties which 

 chemists experience when they wish to separate with exactness 

 the oxide of iron from the oxide of mangauese, adopts the 

 process of Gehlen as the best; which consists in pouring succi- 

 nate of ammonia into a neutral solution of the two oxides. This 

 process has been confirmed by the subsequent experiments of 

 Klaproth and Bucholz. He wishes only that the succinate of 

 iron were more dense and more easily washed. The process of 

 Berzelius, who employs combinations of benzoic acid for the 

 lame purpose, is also good, and may be employed when the 

 experimenter is not provided with succinic acid. Bucholz ter- 

 minates his paper with an examination of the process published 

 ;n 1806 by Dr. John, and employed afterward by Simon. It 

 consist-, in precipitating the iron from its solution, rendered as 

 neutral as possible by pouring into it a quantity of oxalate of 

 potato. According to John the whole of the iron is thrown 

 down, while the manganese remains in solution. This process, 

 which appears at first Bight so advantageous* is at variance with 

 •very chemical work, all of which affirm that the oxalate of 

 ia nearly insoluble in water. 



To put the lac; to the test of experiment, Bucholz dissolved 

 carbonate of manganese in acetic acid, and diluted the solution 



willi \t, parts .'1' water. lie divided this liquid into two equal 



into one of which he poured oxalate of potash, and 



into the other oxalate of ammonia. Both liquids in a short 



• muddy, and deposited a considerable precipitate 



M. Bucholz, being afraid that the precipitation might be 



Cubed to ih. uuceiitiatioM of the liquid, repeated it 



with some alteration, ami found that oxalates precipitate the 



solutions of mengaa not only when diluted with o'-fc tin 



their weight of water, i ut. also when there is an excess of acid 



• Abridged I dGi bUo'i Jouraa] for ItilO, p. 07J. 



