M. Schiitzenberger on some New Salts. 497 
perties to the natural mineral. This experiment was repeated in 
a modified manner. 
In a porcelain tube placed vertically, a series of alternate layers 
of alumina and quartz were arranged, the alumina being at the 
bottom, and the quartz at the top; fluoride of silicon was then, 
passed through the tube at a white heat. In this way the fluo- 
ride of silicon meeting alumina was decomposed, and staurotide 
formed; but the fluoride of aluminium which was formed at the 
same time was decomposed on coming in contact with the layer 
of quartz, with the formation also of staurotide and regeneration 
of fluoride of silicon. The same process followed with all the 
successive layers ; so that the quartz and alumina were both con- 
verted into staurotide, and, as the last layer was quartz, as much 
fluoride of silicon left the apparatus as entered it. None of the 
fluorine was fixed, and it served no other purpose than to cause 
the combination of two of the most stable bodies in nature. 
From the formula of topaz, which is a silicate of alumina and 
fluoride of silicon, it was probable that it might be formed in a 
similar way. But direct experiments showed that this is not the 
ease; and Deville is inclined to think that it is formed in the 
moist way. 
In the expectation of obtaining phenakite, Deville heated glucina 
in fluoride of silicon. He obtained a mineral which crystallizes 
well, and consists of silica and glucina, but could not be iden- 
tified with any known mineral species. 
When fluoride of silicon was passed over zirconia, beautiful 
octahedral crystals were obtained which had all the characters of 
the native zircon. An experiment of Deville’s seems to show 
that a very small quantity of fluorine can produce an indefinite 
quantity of this mineral. 
Alternate layers of zirconia and quartz were placed in a por- 
celain tube, commencing with the former and ending with the 
latter, anda current of fluoride of silicon was passed through the 
tube at a white heat. The zirconia in contact with fluoride of 
silicon was changed into zircon and volatile fluoride of zircon ; 
the latter meeting quartz, gave zircon also and fluoride of silicon ; 
and so on with the whole of the layers. The contents of the 
tube were entirely mineralized, and the quantity of fluoride of 
silicon which left the tube was equal to that which entered it. 
No fluorine had been fixed. 
In a subsequent communication Deville will describe a method 
for obtaining metallic sulphurets by the dry way. 
Schiitzenberger* has described a new class of salts, in which 
the electro-negative elements chlorine, bromine, iodine, &c. 
* Comptes Rendus, January 238, 1861. 
Phil. Mag, 8. 4. No, 143, Suppl. Vol, 21. 2K 
