170 PHYSIOGRAPHY. 



Sal-Am moniac. 



Cleavage, parallel with the primary faces. Fracture 

 conchoidal. Surface smooth. 



Lustre vitreous. Color generally white, often inclining 

 to yellow or grey. Sometimes it is stained green, yellow, 

 or black. Transparent . . . translucent. 



Very sectile. Hardness = 1-5 .. .2-0. Sp. gr. = l*528. 

 Taste acute and pungent. 



Compound Varieties. Stalactitic, botryoidal, globular, 

 reniform shapes, also in crusts ; composition columnar. 

 Massive, composition impalpable. Fracture conchoidal. 

 Sometimes in a state of mealy efflorescence. 



1. It is perfectly volatile at a high temperature, dissolves readily in 

 water, but does not attract water from the atmosphere. It emits a pun- 

 gent smell of ammonia, if brought into contact with moistened quick- 

 lime. 



2. Analysis. 



By KLAPROTH. 



From Mt. Vesuvius. 



Muriate of ammonia 99 5 



Muriate of soda ....... 0-5 



3. It occurs in fissures in the immediate vicinity of active volcanoes; 

 and is a product of sublimation. It is also found near burning coal 

 seams. 



4. The best known localities, are Mount Etna and Vesuvius, the Sol- 

 fataras, the Lipari islands, England, (particularly the neighborhood of 

 New Castle) Scotland, Iceland, the vicinity of Liege, the Bucharian 

 Tartary, &c. 



This salt though much employed in the arts of dyeing, and in medi- 

 cine, is of very little importance, as found in nature, on account of its 

 scarcity. 



SAPHIRINE. 



Massive ; cleavable. 



Lustre vitreous. Color sapphire-blue, with shades of green 

 and grey. Translucent. Streak white. 



Hardness, scratches Quartz. Sp. gr. =3-42. 



