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PART IL— THE MINERAL KINGDOM. 



Order I.— METALLIC MINERALS. 



This order includes all metals that are found either in 

 a pure state, or combined with other substances forming 

 metallic o?'es ; in the former case they are said to be 

 native, and in the latter they are said to be mineralized. 

 In general they are combined with sulphur, with 

 oxygen, or with acids, and they are sometimes found 

 alloyed with other metals. The metals and metallic 

 ores are distinguished by their bright colours, their 

 peculiar lustre, their opacity, their hardness, and their 

 great specific gravity, which exceeds that of the minerals 

 of the other classes.* 



Genus I.— GOLD. 



Or. Fr.; Gold, Ger. ; Gould, Swed. Dan.; Arany. Hung.; Soloto, Rtiss. 



The first of the mineral substances which we have to notice, is 

 Gold. This metal was known to the ancients, and appears to have 

 been as highly prized, on account of its scarcity, beauty, ductility, 

 and indistructibility, in the time of Moses, as at the present day. 



* Witli respect to specific gravity, ns a character of the metals, it may he proper to 

 observe, that the recently discovered alkaline and earthy metals, or the metallic 

 basis of the alkalies and earths, are distinguished by their great levity, many of them 

 being lighter than water. 



