308 



MINERALOGY, 



Metals that are capable of extentioo by being beaten with 

 ihe hammer, are termed Malleable, and those which do not 

 possess this property are called Brittle ; the Malleability of 

 Metals add greatly to their usefulness, and being fusible, 

 Man is enabled to free them from earths and extraneous 

 substances ; Avithout these properties he could hardly reduce 

 them to his service, 



MALLEABLE METALS, 



1. Platina. This is the heaviest of Metals, being Twenty- 



three times heavier than Water ; its colour is a dull 

 tin white; it is capable of great extention, but is diffi- 

 cult of fusion ; in hardness it nearly equals Iron. 



This Metal is principally confined to South America, it is 

 usually foLind in small grains, mostly in the vicinity of the 

 Gold Mines ; it is met with alloyed with Magnetic Ironj 

 Gold, Copper, Lead, and several other Metals. 



2. Gold. Is Nineteen times heavier than water, is very 



soif, ductile, and flexible ; its colour varies from pale 

 yellow, to deep orange ; it is capable of great exten- 

 tion, and its tenacity is very great. 



Gold is generally mixed with some other Metal, as Tin, 

 Copper, Silver, &c.; it is found in veins, in the beds and 

 sands of Rivers and Mountain streams, in several parts of 

 Europe, Asia, Africa, and America ; from South America 

 we obtain the greater part of the Gold now in use, i^ 

 Qccurs in small grains, or lumps from the weight of a few 



