NATIVE ALLOT OP GOLD AND PALLADIUM. ISP 



evident proofs of the existence of a metal possessing all the 

 properties of palladium v le obtaiwed. 



I. The whole ingot wjsjcombined with twice its weight of Analysis of 

 fine silver, and cupelled with lead equal in weight to the ihe whole. 

 mixture. 



II. The cupelled metals were refluced to thin plates, and 

 kept in boiliiit; nitric ac d till the silver and palladium were 

 dissolved. The deep brown ted so'ntion was decanted, and 

 the remaining gold washed with distilled water, which was 

 afterward mixed with the decanted solution. 



III. Pure muriatic acid was added to the preceding solu- 

 tion, tdl it was in excels, and nothing more i'ell down. The 

 liquid retaining its red colour was decanted olT, and the pre- 

 cipitate washed with distilled water. The waters of elutri- 

 ation were added to the decanted liquor, which then held 

 nothing in solution but palladium. 



IV. A solution of pure potash * was poured into the me» 

 tallic solution of the preceding experiment, till the whole of 

 the palladium was thrown dOwn in a brown floccuient pre- 

 cipitate. This was washed with distilled water, collected otj 

 SL filter, and dried. 



V. A portion of the precipitate obtained in this experi- 

 ment was put into a crucible vvithout addition, and exposed 

 to a heat of about 6o° of Wedgwood ; when a metallic 

 button of palladium was obtained of the spec, grav, of 

 11041. 



VI. Another portion of the precipitate of Exp, IV was 

 mixed wjth black flux, ^nd exposed to the same degree of 

 heat as in the preceding experiment. The result was the 

 same. 



A metal supposed to be palladium, thus obtained from a j|jp ^^ 

 source where it was not known to exist, required to be com- palladium j 

 pared with the palladium obtained from crude platina, to 

 confirm its identity. Comparative experiments were accord- 

 ingly made with prussi^te of mercury, fresh muriate of ^/n, 

 and other tests. The metals from these two sources did not 

 exhibit the least difference. 



Native gol^ is never found perfectly pure. Hitherto it and no other 



was present. 



• Carbonate of potash will not answer so well, because part of the 

 palladium would remam dissolved in the carbonic acid. 



has . 



