184 DESCRIPTIONS OF MINERALS. 



Ohs. Occurs in granite at Bodenmais in Bavaria, and 

 also in Bohemia. In the United States, it is found in gra- 

 nitic veins, at Middletown and Haddam, Conn. ; at Ches- 

 terfield and Beverly, Mass. ; at Ac worth, N. H. ; Green- 

 field, X. Y. A crystal was found at Middletown, which 

 originally weighed 14 pounds avoirdupois ; and a part of it, 

 6 inches in length and breadth, weighing 6 lbs. 12 oz., is novs 

 in the collections of the Wesleyan University of that place. 

 Also at Standish, Maine ; and in granite veins in North 

 Carolina. 



This mineral was first made known from American speci- 

 mens, by Mr. Hatchett, an English chemist, and the new 

 metal it was found to contain was named by him columbium. 



Tantalite. Fe(Mn) 0„ Ta 2 . This tantalate of iron is allied to colum- 

 bite. H. 6-6 o. G. 7-8. It is distinguished by its higher specific 

 gravity. It sometimes contains tin and tungsten. From Finland, 

 Sweden, near Limoges in France, and from North Carolina and 

 Alabama. 



Note. — The metal named Columbium by Hatchett, is the same that 

 has since been called Niobium, without any good reason for the change 

 of name. 



Triphylite. An iron manganese-lithium phosphate. See p. 190. 



Vivianite. — Hydrous Iron Phosphate. 



Monoclinic. In modified oblique prisms, with cleavage 

 in one direction highly perfect. Also radiated, reniform, 

 and globular, or as coatings. 



Color deep blue to green. Crystals usually green at right 

 angles with the vertical axis, and blue parallel to it. Streak 

 bluish. Lustre pearly to vitreous. Transparent to translu- 

 cent ; opaque on exposure. Thin laminae flexible. H. == 

 1-5-2. G.=2-66. 



Composition. Fe 3 0, Po + 8aq = Phosphorus pentoxide, 

 28-3, iron protoxide 43*0, water 28*7 = 100. B.B. fuses 

 easily to a magnetic globule, coloring the flame greenish 

 blue. Affords water in a glass tube, and dissoLves in hydro- 

 chloric acid. 



Biff. The deep blue color and the little hardness are 

 decisive characteristics. The blowpipe affords confirma- 

 tory tests. 



Ohs. Found with iron, copper and tin ores, and some- 

 times in clay, or with bog iron ore. St. Agnes in Cornwall, 

 Bodenmais, and the gold-mines of VGrGspatak in Transylva- 

 nia, afford fine crystallizations. In the United States, good 



