ON MANGANESE 101 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPATHIFORM SPECIES OF 

 MANGANESE FROM THE IRON MINES OF KLAPPERUD, 

 IN THE PARISH OF FRESKO IN DAHLLAND. BY SEVEN 



RlUMAN. 



This species was sent me by Baron Hermelin. It is not, 

 as far as I know, mentioned in any system of mineralogy, 

 unless that of Baron Born, entitled Magnesia texturd lamellosd, 

 lamellis nitentibus, from Hirschberg (Index Foss. p. 47), 

 belong to it. The present species at first view resembles a 

 brown blend, or an impure calcareous spar. It consists of 

 irregular cubes of the colour of colophony, or common resin ; 

 the thin lamellae are semitransparent, and of a brownish red 

 colour ; the surface has more splendour than that of blend 

 or calcareous spar, and in this respect it is most like 

 mountain-pitch. The specimens that I received were dis- 

 tinguishable, with respect to external appearance, into two 

 varieties 



(1) Sparry, shining, of the colour of colophony. 



(2) Compact, irregular in the fracture, with a duller 

 surface, and of a darker colour. 



The following general properties might moreover be 

 distinguished : 



(a) The smooth surface, already described, is a sufficient 

 intimation that it does not soil the hands ; but, upon a part 

 of the fossil there appears a dark brown calciform powder, 

 seemingly produced by exposure to the atmosphere, which 

 does soil the hands. 



(&) Between the divisions of this sparry manganese there 

 are a few calcareous particles of a bright yellow. 



(c) Against steel or the knife, it has no more hardness 

 than common loose calcareous spar, and, when pulverised, 

 affords a bright brown powder. 



