416 Chronicles of Science. [July, 



many of them several tons in weight, were formed by the consoli- 

 dation in situ of the loose drift in which they occur. 



There is also a " Geological Description of the First Cataract, 

 Upper Egypt," by Mr. J. C. Hawkshaw, which is worthy of study 

 by those interested in the Geology of the Nile Yalley. 



9. MINEBALOGY, MINING, AND METALLUBGY. 



Mineralogy. 



Undee the name of Ekmanite, Herr Igelstrom describes* a new 

 mineral from the iron mine of Brunsjo, in Grythyttan, Government 

 of Orebro, Sweden. The mineral occurs in veins and bands, pene- 

 trating the magnetic ore which forms the object of exploration in 

 the mine. Several analyses lead to the general formula : — ■ 



2 (2 BO, Si 3 ) + 3 HO, 

 where BO represents the protoxides of iron, manganese, and 

 magnesia. The name has been given in honour of the well-known 

 Swedish iron-master, Herr G. Ekman. 



Early in 1865 a peculiar mineral, at that time regarded as a 

 silver-ore, was discovered in the Blind Spring Mountains, Mono Co., 

 California. It occurs in irregular deposits, associated with argenti- 

 ferous galena, and presents the appearance of a compact lustreless 

 substance, varying in colour from yellowish-green to black, and 

 having a hardness of from 3 to 4, and a specific gravity of 3. Mr. 

 Albert Arents, of Mono, has recently analyzed this supposed silver- 

 ore, with the following results : — 



Teroxide of antimony 47*65 



Protoxide of copper 32 • 11 



„ „ silver 6*12 



„ lead 2-01 



,. iron 2-33 



Water 8-29 



98-51 



From this analysis, the mineral is evidently an antimonite of 

 various protoxide bases expressed by the following formula : — 



3 (CuO, AgO, PbO, FeO) Sb0 3 + 3 HO. 



The mineral is, therefore, a new species, for which Mr. Arents 

 proposes the name Partzite, after its discoverer, Dr. Partz. 



Some doubts have since arisen as to the propriety of regarding 

 the mineral in question as a distinct species ; but Mr. Arents has 

 met the objections by showing that tha observations on which they 



* Das neue Mineral Ekmanite. Berg-und Hiittenmannische Zeitung, 1867. 

 No. 3, p. 21. 



