•210 Analysis of Ashestous Actinolile. [Sept. 



2. Fjfty grains of the same mineral in the state of a fine powder 

 were fused wich twice their weight of soda in a platinum crucible, 

 and kept in a red heat for an hour. The crucible was then taken 

 from the fire. The colour of the fused mass was brown ; but when 

 cold it was partly green and partly brown. It was softened with 

 distilled water till the whole was detached from the crucible. 



3. The watery liquid, on standing, deposited a copious reddish 

 yellow sediment, and became itself colourless. Five eighths of 

 this liquid were separated from the rest, and neutralized as exactly 

 as possible by means of nitric acid. Into this neutralized portion 

 some recently prepared nitrate of mercury was poured. A precipi- 

 tate fell, which, being washed, dried, and exposed to a red heat, 

 weighed 1*2 grains. Hence it is obvious that if the whole watery 

 liquid had been treated with mercury the precipitate obtained would 

 have weighed 1*92 grains. 



This precipitate had a yellowish colour; it was tasteless, and in- 

 soluble in water ; but it dissolved in nitric acid, muriatic acid, and 

 in potash ley, and even partially in ammonia. The alkaline solu- 

 tions were colourless. When the acid solutioa was mixed with 

 nitrate of lead, a white precipitate fell. Vrussiate of potash indi- 

 cated the presence of a little iron. Infusion of nutgalls occasioned 

 a white precipitate, which was redissolved by agitation. These 

 were all the trials which the small quantity of precipitate in my 

 possession enabled me to make. They do not enable us to determine 

 with certainty the nature of the substance ; but we see that it was 

 net chromic acid. I am disposed to consider it as tungstic acid. 

 At any rate, it agrees more nearly with the prcperties of that sub- 

 stance than with any other with which we are acquainted. 



4. The remainder of the aqueous solution, at the bottom of 

 which was the copious reddish yellow sediment, being treated with 

 muriatic acid, a complete solution was obtained, which had a yellow 

 colour, and was transparent. When mixed with that portion that 

 had been neutralized by nitric acid, and treated with nitrate of 

 mercury, a white precipitate fell, which was calomel. It was owing 

 to the combination of the mercury with the muriatic acid. This 

 precipitate was got rid of by filtration. 



The muriatic solution was now concentrated by evaporation. It 

 gradually assumed the form of a jelly. Being evaporated to dryness, 

 and digested in distilled water acidulated with muriatic acid, the 

 •whole was thrown upon a filter. The silica remaining on the filter 

 being edulcorated, dried, and heated to redness, weighed 16'7 

 grains. 



5. The liquid which passed through the filter had a green colour. 

 It was supersaturated by carbonate of soda, in order to throw down 

 the whole of its earthy and metalline constituents. The precipitate 

 was allowed to subside to the bottom of the vessel. The colourless 

 liquid was then decanted off, water substituted in its place, and the 

 whole thrown on a filter. The matter collected on the filter hid a 

 brownish yellow colour. Before it was quite dry it was niiicd with 



