S. L. Pchpr/tf — ( 'o/n position of American Monazik. 251 



al proved, however, the presence of phosphoric acid, 

 and the specimen was identified as monazite. Subsequently a 

 complete chemical analysis was made, the results of wnicb will 

 be given farther on. 

 The mineral is of a cinnamon-brown color, of rather resinous 



luster, and shows one perfect cleavage. The sp< 

 somewhat cracked, and along the fractures showed 

 of alteration which did not, however, penetrate into the solid 



material. It was easy to obtain for analysis material showing 

 none of this alteration and apparently homogeneous. The 

 original weight of the specimen was three and one-half ounces. 

 The specific gravity was found to be 5'20-5-25. After analyz- 

 ing this specimen it seemed interesting to investigate another 

 American monazite, and Professor E. S. Dana accordingly 

 gave me a sample of the monazite sand obtained by Mr. W. E. 

 Hidden* from the gold washings in the Brindletown district, 

 Burke County, North Carolina. Almost one-half of the bulk 

 of this sand is composed of resinous-looking monazite grains, 

 from one-sixteenth to one-eighth of i 



showing numerous crystalline planes. Together with the r 

 cur spinel, magnetite, garnet, brilliant crystals oi 

 little quartz, and a few other minerals. The moi 



is easily distinguished from the accompanying material, ami by 

 careful picking enough was soon obtained, apparently pure, for 

 analysis, ('are was taken to select only the larger grains and 

 those of a uniform cinnamon-brown color. The specific gravity 

 of the selected material amounted to 5'10. The analysis is 

 given farther on. 



About the time when the analyses of the specimens were 

 completed, a letter was received by Professor Brush from Pro- 

 fessor Wm. M. Fontaine, stating that specimens which had 

 been sent up to New Haven as altered microlite, had proved 

 by examination to be monazite.f In connection with my 

 oth. i anal vs-s 1 thou-lit that it would be interesting to add an 

 analysis of this new variety. The material for analysis was 

 from a specimen in the Yale College collection. 



The material selected was perfectly pure as far as the eye 

 could judge. The color and luster were the same as in the 

 I'.a iiand specimen, but a little darker than that of most of the 

 Virginia spc-im-in whi«-h had been sent here. The analysis 

 will be seen below; the silica and thoria were carefully deter 



