CLASSIFICATION OF MINERALS. 75 



GENERAL VIEW OF THE CLASSIFICATION OF MINERALS. 



The classification adopted in this work is based on the 

 constitution of minerals. The following is a general view 

 of it: 



Class I. Gases: consisting of or containing nitrogen 01 

 hydrogen. 



Class II. Water. 



Class III. Carbon, and compounds of carbon. 



Class IV. Sulphur. 



Class V. Haloid minerals : compounds of the alkalies 

 and earths, with the soluble acids (sulphuric, nitric, carbonic, 

 &c. or water,) or of their metals with chlorine or fluorine. 

 1, Salts of ammonia ; 2, of potash ; 3, of soda ; 4, of baryta 

 5, of strontia ; 6, of lime ; 7, of magnesia ; 8, of alumina. 



Class VI. Earthy minerals : silica and siliceous or alu- 

 minous compounds of the alkalies and earths — 1, silica ; 2, 

 lime ; 3, magnesia ; 4, alumina ; 5, glucina ; 6, zirconia , 

 7, thoria. 



Class VII. Metals and metallic ores, (exclusive of the 

 metals of the alkalies and earths) : 1, Metals easily oxydiz- 

 ahle — cerium, yttrium, titanium, tin, molybdenum, tungsten, 

 vanadium, tellurium, bismuth, antimony, arsenic, uranium, 

 iron, manganese, chromium, nickel, cobalt, zinc, cadmium, 

 lead, mercury, copper ; 2, Noble metals : platinum, iridium, 

 palladium, gold, silver. 



Explain the classification adopted 



