182 Scientific Intelligence — Mineralogy. 



fectly homogeneous masses have been taken out. It has a foliated 

 structure, more or less highly marked. Iron pyrites is too abundantly 

 diffused in it to admit of its use for crucibles. The chief economical 

 use made of it has been in facing the sand moulds for iron castings, 

 for which purpose it is ground to a fine powder. Some of the finer 

 parts are also used to manufacture pencils. Many hundred tons of 

 graphite from this deposit have already been taken out since the 

 mine was opened two years ago, and the supply may be esteemed 

 inexhaustible. The vein or bed reappears on the opposite side of the 

 St John's river, and on the side now opened it has been traced over 

 a mile. The position of the deposit in conformable metamorphic 

 schists, suggests the conjecture that this deposit of graphite may 

 represent a former coal-bed. — {American Journal of Science and 

 Arts, vol. xiv., No. 41, 2d Series, p. 280.) 



6. Sulphur Mine in Upper Egypt. — An extensive bed of sul- 

 phur has been opened in Egypt, between the village of Keneh and 

 the Red Sea, at the strait called Bahar el Sefinque. It is soon to 

 be worked. — (Ann. des Mines (4), xviii. 541.) 



7. Strontiano-calcite, a New Species. — (Proc. Acad. N. Sci. 

 Phil., vi. 114, June 1852.) — Crystallisation and cleavages like calc- 

 spar : secondary form an acute rhombohedron of 65° 50'. Crystals 

 minute ; occurs in globular masses, the globules terminating in this 

 acute rhombohedron, H = 3*5 ; gr. undetermined. Colourless and 

 transparent, or white and translucent, the former vitreous, the latter 

 pearly in lustre. B.B., yields a brilliant light, a slightly crimson 

 flame, and becomes caustic. The solution in acid gives a white pre- 

 cipitate with sulphate of lime, but not with sulphate of strontia, and 

 it therefore contains strontia. After precipitating the strontia in a 

 portion of the solution, the addition of oxalate of ammonia produced 

 a precipitate of oxalate of lime. The quantity was too small for a 

 quantitative analysis ; but Dr Genth infers that the lime and strontia 

 are in about equal proportions. 



The specimen was from Girgenti, Sicily, where it is of rare occur- 

 rence, associated with celestine and sulphur. — (American Journal of 

 Science and Arts, vol. xiv., 2d series, No. 41, p. 280.) 



8. Platinum and Iridosmine in California, by Dr F. A. Genth, 

 (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., vi., 113). — A few steel-coloured 

 rounded grains of platinum were observed among specimens of gold 

 from the American Fork, California, 30 miles from Sacramento city. 

 Iridosmine from the same locality occurs in lead-coloured scales. 

 A collection of white grains from California, afforded, after separat- 

 ing the platinum, six-sided scales of a colour between lead and tin- 

 while, which, on heating on platinum foil, gave a strong odour of 

 osmium, and wen; probably, therefore, the Sis ser skit e (Iv Os 4) ; 

 when thus heated, the scales became irridescent and assumed yellow, 

 '.ranu/-. and blue colours like steel. Dr Genth, on trying the Ural 



