Mineralogy and Geology. 423 
obtained is very uniform, and is within a fraction of a per cent. of two 
equivalents. 
From the above J conclude that the earth contained in the mineral, 
which is nearly insoluble in sal-ammoniac, insoluble in caustic potash,. 
and producing the above reaction with reagents, and green and yellow 
salls, must either be a new earth or else a modification of some known 
earth not previously noticed. 
The name Thalivm is proposed for the base of this earth, Thalia for 
the earth itself, and ‘Ehalite for the mineral from which it is extracted. 
(2.) Kettle River Mineral, resembling Saponite.—In 1849 Dr. Shu- 
mard brought a soft, brittle, pale-green mineral, which was collected 
from the cavities of an amy daloid three miles above Kettle River, in 
ence of this silicate of magnesia from Lake Superior. ‘This Kettle 
River a when first collected, was as soft as butter, but hardened 
by expos 
shail inde an analysis of this mineral, but found it to ial a 
much ~ quantity of magnesia, muc eh la rger per-centage of 
mina, m st ca, and none of this peculiar earth. The sesndinalt 
are as follow 
3S ( Gilica, 52-7 
eh insoluble in HCl, Ben. | = a ianinn ‘witha a trace of oxyd of i iron, mad : 
es re lumina, magnes: and & 4°35 
alkali, 85 g ‘ agnesia, . 5 
5. ee and loss, ° , ook 
aed se in Ha, f : i . : 33 
Ox xyd of ir eats . é = . _ . dis PE 
agnesia, ‘ » sfelayhGy é : < O78 
liom ™ x é : mee 
ash, : : : pes ‘ . ; : i! 
So ode ee oe eee ee ee ONE 
Water, sd 
This inter does soe agree exactly ori the analysis or any aniverdl 
of which I have seen an analysis. Jt comes nearest in its composition 
to a variety of Phillipsite from Iceland, analyzed by Damour, except 
that magnesia replaces the lime in Philips: and this mineral would 
therefore be a magnesian harmot 
It ea too, in its degree of ardioes; from Phillipsite, or lime 
harmotom 
This jason harmotome from Minnesota decrepitates before the 
blowpipe, and fuses to a nearly colorless blebby glass, with a faint 
tinge of yellow. 
The analysis of this mineral gives a slight excess which ought proba- 
bly to be page from the alumina, which being bulky was “very diffi- 
cult to w clea 
It se au to exiat in the cells of the amygdaloids of Kettle River, in 
its pete state, and could be spread with a knife, just like the saponite 
mentioned by Alger, who states that some of the miners of Brucksved 
nie to eat it as a substitute for butte 
uslab’s Crystal-theory of our Clo be. —The theory of M. Haus- 
ae is ‘opposed to the first principles of ko 2 For as crystalli- 
n is an Anti pooh process, the process m ust begin from the cen- 
* See this volume, p. 268. . 
