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Remarks on Native Silver from Michigan. By H. R. 

 Schoolcraft. Read January 3, 1825. 



Mineralogical and Chemical characters. By examining 

 this mineral, it will be perceived to possess the colour, lustre, 

 malleability, and other obvious characters of native silver. 

 It is so soft, as to be easily cut by the knife ; and in a state of 

 purity which permits it to spread under the hammer. These 

 characters serve to distinguish it from antimonial silver, which 

 is not malleable; from native antimony, which tarnishes on 

 exposure, &cc. The metal occurs in thin, massive veins in the 

 rock. These veins sometimes intersect, but never cross each 

 other. It is also disseminated in small particles through the 

 stone, or spread in flattened masses over its surface. Some of 

 these masses were detached by the discoverer, but have been 

 preserved, and are presented to the Lyceum with the more 

 solid and undisturbed portions. 



By submitting a small portion of the metal to the action of 

 nitric acid, I obtained an imperfect solution. On repeating 

 the experiment, and adding a little sulphuric acid, the action 

 was more brisk, and a clear, and apparently perfect solution 

 effected. By standing, however, a pulpy, white precipitate 

 appeared at the bottom of the glass. This was collected, and 

 submitted to the action of the blowpipe, on a basis of char- 

 coal. The result gave a number of minute, metallic globules, 

 possessing greater lustre, malleability, and ductility, than the 

 original mass. I repeated the latter experiment, adding to 

 the nitro-sulphuric solution muriate of soda. A more perfect 

 precipitation of the white powder was effected ; but the results 

 with the blowpipe remained the same. 



Geognostic position. It is a rolled mass. An opinion o. 

 the specific character of the rock, may be dubious, from the 

 smallness of the specimen. It appears to have been detached 

 from a stratum of gneiss, and is essentially composed of quartz. 



