ON MINEBAL OILS AND THE MINJAK LANTOENG OF JAVA. 33 5 



135 per cent, of red brown paraffin oil. 



By rectification with sulphuric acid and potash, there were produced— 



147 per cent, of loss. 



337 per cent, of photogene of O810. 



38'8 per cent, of solar oil of 0'845. 



136 per cent, of paraffin oil of 0875. 



The mineral oils of Sehnde, near Hildesheim, in the kingdom of 

 Hanover, have been studied by MM. Bussenius, Eisenstuck, and Helsmann, 

 from the year 1858 -to 1860. 



We know of one analysis only (incomplete) of the natural mineral oils 

 of North America, published by Mr. Dugald Campbell in the Technologist 

 for March, 1861, (vol. i. p. 249). The density of American oil from Boston 

 was 0*840 at a temperature of 16deg. Fractional distillation produced four 

 sorts of oils, of specific gravities 0'826, 0*838, 0*833, and 0*846 ; the boiling 

 point of the first was found to be 182 deg. C Mr. Campbell mentioned 

 another specimen, of a density of 0*900 ; but that was impure, by con- 

 taining water and earthy substances. Distillation produced equal quanti- 

 ties of oils of 867 and - 872, with a loss of 7-j per cent. 



Mineral oils are found in many islands of the Indian Archipelago. They 

 are there known under the name of Minjak Lantoeng at Java, or Minjak 

 Linji at Sumatra. As they are much used by the natives, they are regularly 

 collected and sold in the markets of the towns and principal villages. 



The localities where these oils rise spontaneously in natural fissures or 

 artificial excavations, are ordinarily surrounded by warm or saline mineral 

 springs ; the earth belongs to the tertiary formation, at least the upper 

 deposits below the alluvial strata. Volcanoes and volcanic rocks form the 

 true geological constitution of the country. 



A specimen of oil from Palantoengan, in the Residency of Samarang, has 

 the consistency of tar, its colour resembles wood-tar ; its density is 0*955 

 at 16 deg. C. 



A specimen of Tjiakijana, in the district of Pourbolingo, in the Residency 

 of Banjermassen, is as liquid as water, with a deep green colour by reflec- 

 tion ; its density is 0*804 at 16 deg. C. 



It is very remarkable that the deep green colour is only produced by re- 

 flection ; a thick layer, half a centimetre thick, is of a reddish brown, and 

 a very liquid layer is of a clear yellow both by reflected and refracted light. 

 Concentrated sulphuric acid precipitates from it a black asphalte-like mass, 

 the supernatant liquid then reflecting a beautiful apple-green colour, while 

 the refracted light is yellow. This oil, without a particular or disagreeable 

 odour, may be considered as a solution of paraffin in liquid hydro-carbons. 

 At a few degrees above zero it acquires the consistency of butter, the 

 paraffin crystallising. Young's paraffin oil, prepared from Boghead coal, has 

 the same properties. The mineral oil from Palantoengan of 0*955 specific 

 gravity, contains only 3*8 per cent, of mineral substances, no chlorides, a 

 little sulpbate of lime, and the rest silicates. On treating it with one-tenth 

 of sulphuric acid, according to Saussure, 15 to 18 per cent, of a black, 



