312 



MINERALOGY. 



8. Iron. This is one of, if not the most abundant of all 



Metals, being found in aimost every rock and soil ; it 

 is about seven times heavier than water, of a blueish or 

 reddish grey colour, is hard, ductile, and malleable, and 

 in tenacity is next to gold. 



Iron is found combined with numerous minerals, and 

 forms a principal part of those substances known under 

 the name of Meteoric Stones ; it is Magnetic, and so easily 

 is this property imparted to Iron, that a bar placed in a ver- 

 tical position for a considerable time acquires polarity, which 

 may also be communicated to it by suddenly striking it at 

 the point against any hard substance; for instance, if a 

 common poker be struck forcibly on a hearth, the point of 

 contact becomes polar. The uses of Iron are numerous, and 

 are so well known as not to require repetition; without it 

 Man could hardly subsist in a civilized state, as it forms the 

 principal parts of his Agricultural, Domestic and Mecha- 

 nical Implements. 



9. Zinc. Is about seven times heavier than water; It is cf 



a colour between Silver and Lead; is hard, but not 

 so ductile as some of the preceding Metals. 



Zinc is less abundant than most of the foregoing MetalSy 

 it lias not been met with pure, being either mineralized with 

 Sulphur, or combined with Oxyde of Iron, Silex, &c. It 

 enters into many alloys, preparations of it also are used for 

 Medicine, and in the Arts. 



10. Palladium. When pure it is eleven times heavier thaa 

 water ; it resembles Platina in colour, is yery malleable, 

 and equal in hardness to Bar Iron. 



