IRON, 



Saxony, 



A fpccimen from a mine near IKanudorf, 

 yielded, according to Klaproth, 



Iron (ji.y 

 Lead 6.0 

 Copper I.J 



The varieties w'liicli contain nickel are meteoric. 



It is found in detached maffes, «hich are ufually covered 

 with an oxyd of a brownifii colour. 



The places of its occurrence are Kamfdorf and Eiben- 

 ftock, in Saxony ; Oulle, near Grenoble, in France ; and 

 fomc' others. 



Sp. 2. Irot: Pyrites. Schtvefelklcs. La Pyr'tL- Siilfu- 

 retife. Fmum Mineralifatum Pyrites. 



This very abundant mineral is divided by Werner into 

 five fiibfpecies, common, radiated, capillary, hepatic, and 

 cellular. 



S'.ibfp. I. Common Pyrites. — :Colour bronze-yellow, pac- 

 ing foinetimes to gold-yellow. Occurs maffive and dilFe- 

 minated. It is very frequently alfo cryilallized. Its forms 

 are the cube, either perfedl or truncated, the ofiahedron, 

 dodecahedron, and fometimes, thougli very rarely, the icofa- 

 hedron. The cryftals are in general fmall ; except the cube, 

 which is middle-fized. Their furface is either fmooth or 

 ftreaked, and varies from glimmering to fplendent. Inter- 

 nally it is fliining or gliftening ; and 'its luflre metaHic. 

 Fraclure even ; fometimes conchoidal. It is hard, brittle, 

 rather eafily frangible, and heavy, Sp. gr. -from 4.600 to 

 4.831. 



Expofed to the blow-pipe, rt exhales a ftrong odour of 

 fulphiir, and burns with a blueiAi flame. It afterwards 

 pafies into a globule, oljedient to the magnet, of a brownifh 

 colour ; and treated with glafs of borax, communicates to 

 It a tint of a dark dirty green. It appears to be «ompofed 

 of about 52.5' fulphur, and 47.5 iron. 



"Its occurrence is aluioft uuiverfal, both with reference to 

 geographic arrangement, and the mineral formations in which 

 it is prefented. 



Sufefp. 2. RaSiated Pyrites. — Colour bronze-yellov,', of a 

 paler hue than the preceding ; pafling fometimes to brafs- 

 yellow. Surface tarniflied. Is found maffive and reniform, 

 alfo uniform, globular, and cryftalli/.ed. The (hape of its 

 cry Hals is cubic, and oGlahedral -, the latter being fometimes 

 truncated on the angles. The external luftre varies between 

 fplendent and gliftening. Internally it is gliftening and 

 glimmering. Fradlure ufnally radiated ; fometimes uneven 

 and fibrous. Fragments uniform. Occurs in coarfe and 

 large-grained diftincl concretions, alfo lamellated and co- 

 lumnar. It is hard, brittle, very eafdy frangible, and heavy, 

 but lefs fo than the foregoing fubfpecies. Emits a ful- 

 phureous odour when ftruck, or rubbed. Sj>. gr. from 4.698 

 to 4--7>- 



Before tlie blow-pipe it exhibits the fame appearances as 

 common pyrites, and is conftituted of about 54 parts of ful- 

 phur, and 46 of iron. 



It is confiderably rarer than tlie preceding, and is found 

 in veins, particularly thofe which contain lead or filver. 



The places of its occurrence are, amongft others, Corn- 

 wall and Derbyfhire, in England; Arendal, in Norway ; 

 and K\ various diftric^s of Suabia, Saxony, and Bohemia. 



Subfp. 3. CdpilL'.ry Pyrites -Colour bronze-yellow, in- 

 clining more or lefs to fteel-grcy. Occurs in very firie ca|)il- 

 lary cryllals. Luftre (hining or gliftening ; metallic. Brit- 

 tle, and in a fmall degree flexible. The fmallnefs of its 



cryftals preveiTts a more particular account being given .j\ 

 its character. 



Its chemical properties are the fame as thofe of common 

 pyrites. 



It is never met with but in very fmall quantity, and is the 

 moft rare of all the varieties of pyritic iron. It is moft: 

 ufually accompanied with quartz, lead-glance, or galena, and 

 fluor and calcareous fpar. 



Is found at Annaberg, Schneeberg, and Johanngeorgen- 

 ftadt,in Saxony ^ at Andrcafoerg, in the Hartz ; and other 

 pIsces on the continent of Europe. The capillary pyrites, 

 ajcording to Klaproth's analyfis, is net 'an iron-ore, but 

 nickel, mixed with a fmall portion of cobalt and arfenic. 



Subfp. 4. Hepatic Pyrites. — Its colour is intermediate 

 between bronze-yellow and Reel-grey, paffing fometimes en- " 

 tirely to the latter. On expofure, the frefli fra£lure changts 

 to a brown. It is found maftrve, and under a variety of 

 other forms, as ftaladitic, cellular, &c. alfo cryftaUized. 

 The iliape of its cryftalline arrangement is prifmatic, pyra- 

 midal, and tabular, each with fix fides. Lullre glimmering, 

 inclining to gliftemng ; metallic. Frafture even, pafling fome- 

 times to uneven and imperfectly conchoidal. Fragments in- 

 detcmunate, {liarp-edged. Hard, rather incliukig to foft, 

 brittle, eafily frangible, and heavy. 



This fubfpecies is faid to contain arfenic. It decompofes 

 very eafily on expofure to air, which renders it very difficult 

 to be retained in mineralogical collections. 



It occurs only in veins, and in thofe principally which 

 contain red filver ore, galena, blende, common pyrites, and 

 fparry iron-ftone. The earthy minerals that acccompany it 

 .are, for the moft part, quartz, fulphat of baryt, and calcare- 

 ous and iluor fpar. 



It is found in Uerbyfliire ; at Joachimfthal in Bohemia ; 

 Annaberg and Freyberg in Saxony ; and in various parts of 

 Sweden, Norway, and Siberia. 



Subfp. J. Cellular Pyrites. — Colour bronze-yellow, a 

 good deal inclining to- fteel-grey. Tariiifhes by expofure, 

 and then becomes of a grey tint. Occurs maffive ; but its 

 moft common appearance is cellular. Cells drufy on the 

 furface. Luftre gliftening. Frafture conchoidal. Frag- 

 ments fliarp-edged, indeterminate. Brittle, and in a flight 

 degree flexible. 



Its occurrence is in veins, where it is accompanied, accord- 

 ing to the ftatement of profeflbr Jamiefon, with hepatic and 

 common pyrites, lead-glance, fparry iron-ftone, nickel, 

 iron-ochre, brown-fpar, heavy-fpar, fluor-fpar, and quartz. 



Is found at Johanngeorgenftadt, in the eleftorate of 

 Saxony. 



Sp. 3. Magnetic Pyrites. Ma^netlics. La Pyrite nutg' 

 netique. Ferruin mineralifatum vingneticopyritaceum. 



Colour copper-red, inclining much to bronze-yellow, and 

 even to pinchbeck-brown. Tarnifties on expofure, becom- 

 ing then brown. Occurs maffive and dilTeminated : has 

 never been found under any other form. Internal luftre 

 gliftening, or (liining ; metallic. Fraclure uneven, and fome-- 

 times imperfedly conchoidal : whea the latter, it has a 

 luftre bordering on fplendent. Fragments indeterminate, 

 rather blunt-edged. Intermediate between hard and femi- 

 hard. It is brittle, eafily frangible, and very heavy. Is 

 attrafted by the magnet. Sp. gr. 4.J16. 



Treated by the blow-pipe, it emits a flight fulphureous 

 odour, and melts with great facility into a greyifh-black 

 globule, which is attratted by the magnet, and colours bo- 

 rax black. It is compofcd of 36.5 fulphur, and 63.5 iron. • 



It occurs only in the clafs of rocks denominated primi- 

 tive J and there only in beds. The minerals which ufually 



accompany 



