THE TECHNOLOGIST. [July 1, 1865. 



■559 



fofoatifii flutes. 



Dysodile or Tasmanite. — Tasmanite, a new material of organic 

 origin, is described by Professor Church, in a recent number of the ' Philo- 

 sophical Magazine.' In the Tasmanian Court of the International Exhibi- 

 tion- of 1862, a very remarkable kind of fuel was shown by the " Dysodyle 

 Company," catalogued as u resiniferous shale." In the Jermyn street 

 Museum of the School of Mines, a specimen of the same mineral is 

 termed "combustible shale," River Mersey, north side of Tasmania. 

 The true dysodile, from Glimbach, near Giessea, analysed by Delesse, 

 does not seem to be identical, either in chemical or physical constitution, 

 with the Tasmanian mineral. The so-called " resiniferous shale " is dis- 

 tinctly laminated ; the organic matter, which occurs in scales, being 

 disposed in planes parallel to the lamination, and probably causing it. 

 These scales are of a reddish brown colour, and form from 30 to 40 per 

 cent, of the rock. The average diameter of the discs is about 1)3 of an 

 inch, while their thickness at the centre is sometimes as much as "007. 

 As none of the ordinary solvents of resinoids and similar bodies seemed 

 capable of dissolving out the carbonaceous constituent of the mineral, 

 the following plan of effecting the separation was adopted : — A large 

 quantity of the mineral was crushed to a coarse powder, placed in a 

 Phillip's precipitating-glass, and strong hydrochloric acid poured upon 

 it. A trace of carbonic anhydride was thus set free from the small 

 quantity of carbonate of calcium present, while the aluminia and ferric 

 oxide of the mineral were partly dissolved. These chemical actions 

 served to break up the mineral, and the organic " scales " beeame for the 

 most part disengaged, and floated, owing to the high gravity of the 

 hydrochloric solution which has been further increased by the addition 

 of chloride of calcium. The scales were collected from the surface by 

 a strainer, and washed repeatedly by decantation. By this method of 

 purification the inorganic matter in them was reduced to a minimum. 

 The substance thus prepared presented such remarkably distinct chemical 

 and physical characters, as to lead to its receiving quite a distinct name. 

 When Tasmanite is heated in the air it burns readily, with a very smoky 

 flame and offensive odour. Submitted to destructive distillation, it fuses 

 partially, and yields oily and solid products having a disagreeable smell, 

 recalling that of some specimens of Canadian petroleum. One is tempted 

 to suggest that the natural rock oils may in some instances originate in 

 the action of heat upon substances similar to Tasmanite shale. 

 Qualitative analysis of Tasmanite showed it to contain, not only a large 

 quantity of carbon and hydrogen, but also a very considerable pro- 

 portion of sulphur ; and it was found that the most careful mechanical 

 treatment of the specimens fail to separate from them completely the 

 mineral impurities. That the sulphur detected was an integral part of 

 VOL. VI. 3 O 



