42 THE PROSPECTOR'S HANDBOOK. 



be present, a bluish white incrustation is formed, which 

 (being volatile) disappears when exposed to the O.F. and 

 R.F. ; in the latter case with green coloration. The bead is 

 white and brittle. To confirm : Scrape the incrustation off 

 and treat with hydrochloric acid and zinc on platinum foil. 

 A film of antimony will be left on the latter. If a piece of 

 ore containing antimony be heated in an iron spoon, white 

 fumes will rise and coat the rim. The behaviour of anti- 

 mony with borax or platinum wire before the blowpipe 

 flames is, when cold, in O.F. = colourless, 



in H.F. ^ colourless to grey. 



Combined with lead, or bismuth, or copper, other tests 

 have to be resorted to. 



Antimony is a most undesirable metal to be associated 

 with other metallic compounds in a vein, as it interferes with 

 the ordinary smelting processes. 



Sulphide of Antimony (grey antimony). 



The ore from which the antimony of commerce is ex- 

 tracted 



Crystallization right rhombic prisms. 



Colour lead grey. 



Streak lead grey and blackish. 



Lustre shining and metallic. 



Structure brittle : thin laminae slightly flexible. 



H. 2 ; S.G. 4-5 to 4*7. 



Composition per cent. antimony, 73; sulphur, 27. 



Fuses in the flame of a candle. Before B. flame and on 

 charcoal yields white fumes with odour of sulphur. When 

 pure, is soluble in hydrochloric acid. The oxide yellow, 

 white, grey, or brown is sometimes found on the outcrop of 

 a sulphide-bearing lode. Can be distinguished from an ore 

 of manganese, like in appearance, by its being easily fused 

 and its diagonal cleavage. 



There are about ten varieties of this last ore, the streaks 

 of which vary ; all the ores, however, are soft, and can be 

 scratched by the finger nail. Grey antimony occurs with 

 ores of silver, lead, zinc, or iron, &c., and is often associated 

 with heavy spar and quartz. Found in metamorphic and 



