On Meteoric Iron. 83 



Acid was accordingly added in excess and the digestion renewed, 

 but apparently without diminishing the bulk of the insoluble mat- 

 ter. It was therefore permitted to subside, and the supernatant 

 fluid becoming clear on the following day was removed. 



B. The insoluble matter was washed, dried, and examined 

 with the microscope. The greater part of it was in the condition 

 of an impalpable powder, while the remainder was in minute, 

 irregular shaped blackish grey grains. The whole was ground 

 perfectly fine in a mortar, and again treated with nitro-hydrochlo- 

 ric acid. After a long continued digestion, it diminished about 

 one half in bulk, leaving the balance of a light chestnut-brown 

 color, precisely resembling silicon. The solution obtained was 

 found to contain only iron. The brown powder was fused along 

 with hydrate of potassa in a silver crucible ; water was afFused, 

 and the solution subsequently treated with nitric acid. A trans- 

 parent solution was instantly formed, from which ammonia threw 

 down flocculi of silicic acid, colored by peroxide of iron. A solu- 

 tion of potassa was now added, and the peroxide of iron separated 

 by the filter. The clear liquid was rendered acid a second time ; 

 after which the addition of ammonia threw down white flocculi 

 X)f silicic acid. 



C. The clear nitro-hydrochloric solution, A, first treated with a 

 solution of hydro-cholorate of ammonia, was cleared of its iron by 

 ammonia, whereupon the fluid assumed a pale blue tinge. It was 

 brought to the boiling point, and precipitated (in a close vessel) 

 with potassa. To the remaining fluid was added, after the sep- 

 aration of the oxide of nickel by the filter, hydrosulphate of am- 

 monia, which occasioned a slight precipitate. It was separated 

 from the fluid, and examined before the blowpipe, but it simply 

 affbrded the reaction of oxide of nickel.* 



D. To a portion of the solution A was added lime water, freshly 

 saturated with chlorine. No precipitate followed, from which we 

 infer the absence of manganese in the meteoric iron. 



* In an experiment conducted as follows, a clear indication of cobalt was ob- 

 tained. The iron had been separated from a solution of the ore. The precipitate 

 by potassa from the hydrochlorated solution, together with the concentrated fluid 

 from which the oxide of nickel had been thrown down, was mingled with a por- 

 tion of the silicon to which potassa had been added, and the whole fused together 

 in a silver crucible. The well known color of smalt was constantly produced 

 when the crucible was withdrawn from the fire, just at the moment when tho 

 mass was passing from the fluid to the solid slate. 



