1867.] Mining. 125 



F. Wohler, continuing his examination of Laurite, arrives at 

 the conclusion that it is a native sulphate of ruthenium.* 



In the ' American Journal of Science and Arts,' Mr. Charles 

 Upham Shepard continues his mineral notices. A new mineral, 

 Hagemannite, so called — in ohedience to the ahsurd fashion of 

 naming minerals after some one who may have had something to do 

 with the specimens in question — after Mr. Gr. Hagemann, chemist to 

 the Natron Chemical Works, Alleghany Co., has heen brought from 

 Arksutfiord, Greenland. It appears to be a very complicated 

 substance. Mr. Shepard says : — " The deduction of a formula is 

 difficult. The following is suggested : — 

 2 (Ca + | Na + i Mg) Fl + (f Al + ± Fe) 2 Si Fl + 2 HO." 



The notices of the discoveries of Cotwmite, Columbite, and 

 Spodumene in new localities are unimportant.! 



M. Edmond Becquerel has published a paper, "On the Phospho- 

 rescence of Hexagonal Blende."| The subject belongs to Physics 

 proper, and it is therefore mentioned in this place for the purpose 

 of recording it, and directing the attention of our readers to some 

 optical phenomena of much beauty. 



Mr. E. J. Chapman, of Toronto, has announced § the discovery of 

 native lead on the north-west borders of Lake Superior. It will be 

 remembered that in our last number we mentioned the discovery of 

 this rare native metal in Australia. Mr. Chapman states that the 

 lead of the Lake Superior district having been cut, presents the 

 colour, the softness, and the ductility of the pure metal. It is not 

 generally known that specimens of native lead were found some 

 years since by Mr. Stephen Eddy, in the mines of Grassington, 

 belonging to the Duke of Devonshire, in Yorkshire. 



The Secretary of the Imperial Society of Mineralogy, of St. 

 Petersburg, announces that the Society will celebrate, on the 7th 

 January, 1867, their fiftieth anniversary, and invites the learned of 

 all countries to take part in this celebration. 



M. Fremy read on the 20th of October, in the Academie des 

 Sciences of Paris, a note on " Une methode generate de cristallisa- 

 tion." This note was published in ' Les Mondes,' with but slight 

 omissions, and from its importance we reproduce it from that 

 periodical. || 



" I have thought," says M. Fremy, " that if I could slowly 

 effect the precipitations and decompositions which render bodies 

 amorphous, because they are instantaneous, I should place myself in 

 the same conditions as nature, and that I should obtain, in a 



* ' Archives des Sciences ' (Bibliotheque Universelle), vol. xxvi., No. 102, 

 p. 146. 



t ' The American Journal of Science and Arts,' No. 125,-1860. 

 % 'Les Mondes,' 29th Nov., 1866, p. 521. 



§ * American Journal of Science/ L'Institut. 14th Nov., 1866, p. 368. 

 || ■ Les Mondes,' 1st Nov., 1866, p. 392., 



