Tt;E SCI E:\TIhT. 
91 
FORMERLY THE NATURALIST. 
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Aliimiiiiiiu. 
Alumiiuini is a wliiic, ductile, inetaiic 
substance, resembling silvei-. It is sit^-- 
ceptible of a higher polish tlian silver, 
and is not aftected by atniosplieric 
changes. Sulphur, nitric acid and dilu- 
ted sulphuric ticid do not injure it in the 
least. A solution of caustic potash or 
soda, however, will dissolve the metal 
with great ease. It is also readily solu- 
ble in dilute hydrochlaric acid with evo- 
lution of hydrogen. 
This i)eculiar metal was first discover- 
ed in 1828 by Wohler, who obtained it 
from chloride. Tliirty years later the mode 
of production was so simplified by Dcville 
that it could be produced in sutiicient 
quant i lies for manufacturing pui-poses. 
'i'liP process was, neve r-the-less, too expen- 
sive to wan ant a very extensive use of the 
new- metal, the price, until recently, be- 
ing as high as .$13.00 a pound. By an 
improved process of electrolysis, fully 
pi-otected by letters patent, aluminum is 
now obtained from clay, so easily, th.at 
it has been sold in any quantity desired 
for from $1.50 to $2.00 a pound : recently 
competion has reduced the price to a 
dollar a pound, and from present indica- 
tion, we arc warranted in stating that the 
l)rice will still see a reniarkable reduc- 
tion. 
Tlienew metal is extremely malleable 
and ductile, and maybe rolled into thin 
sheets, or drawn into fine wire. By cold 
hammering it becomes hard as soft iron, 
but by fusion may be softened again. 
It is very light, being only two and one- 
half times heavier than water; the 
weight of a given bulk of Aluminum be- 
ing 1, iron is 2.9 times as heavy; copper, 
3.G times as heavy; nickel, 3.5 times as 
heavy; silver, 4 times as heavy; lead, 4.8 
times as heavy; gold, 7.7 times as heavy; 
and platinum 9 times as heavy. 
With the cheapening of manufacture this 
valuable metal is coming rapidly to the 
front, and will, no doubt, revolutionize 
