40 
Examination of a Metallic Button , 
[Feb. 
5. A small fragment, heated strongly on mica, before the blowpipe, gave out 
arsenical fumes, and corroded the support with astain of litharge ; a deeply in- 
dented globule, of a rosy steel colour, remained. 
Analysis . 
“• “ grain , S ’ ° r ( f0r «mronience of division) 100 parts of the metal, pounded fine, 
were digested three tunes in fresh doses of boding nitro-muriatic acid A residui 
of blue grams, or scales, was left, weighing 40,6. The action of the acid was still 
perceptible upon a further digestion. 
4 The solution, of an orange colour, was evaporated nearly to dryness, and 
edulcorated with distilled water. A white heavy powder remained insoluble, 
which not proving to be muriate of silver, normuriate of lead, was set aside for 
examination. (A) It weighed r 
c. To the clear neutral orange solution, was addeda warn, infusion of muriate 17 ’ 2 
of ammonia, which instantly produced a deposition of minute shining orange 
platimi, WeiShin “' Whe " dried> 51)5 «***»* ^ 
This was heated in a forge, and converted into bright metallic ni 
ssr “* "• * 
Tlie solution, tested with muriate of tin, still shewed the presence nf 3 ’t 
perhaps palladium in small quantity; but from the colour of the acM so it • 
evident there could not be much of the latter metal. d Solutlons > ** » 
The iridium and osmium having been t 
it is necessary, first, to describe the treatment whicluhisT'rl “ ° f 10 8rai ' 1S ’ 
«• 100 parts of the ore were cupellated ' I r under S 0 “e- 
of silver, and a tenfold dose of lead. ^ UrnaCGj Wlth tmce their weight 
No union seemed to have takpn nino„ t . 
ther was the latter marked with reticullrTr^ l'l l l!!T ° UndS , a ° d the silver S 
case with platina alloy in general. A spon~v bfack c 1°" ° n SUrface > as is the 
cupel under it was stained of the same colour ■ tb COra ' ed the bead > “ d the 
not indicate the presence of antimony „ or ’ f , ap P earance «f the bone-ash did 
bead (exclusive of the silver) had acquired an exre ‘f I"* 6 P ro P°rtion. The 
/. Bourns nitric acid took up the silver and o“cTm ,7^ ' ^ *° ^ F» ex- 
ponents of the white precipitate A, before 1‘ , “ (Probably thecom- 
pahadium?) the whole matter dissolved, weigh' ' ’ ““ d * liWe pIatina “ d 
After precipitation of the silver by ml S , g 31 3 
throw down what remained, but the excess of -T*’ ir °" Wire was immersed to 
result, by the large admixture of oxyd^^C? “ “> 
p ecipitate was, however, plainly observablp p utl es of the iron. The white 
greenish black deposite. 7 "*"***’ ^ an opake and pasty form tl tht 
g- The residual black-blue powder wp,^ „ 
with boiling nitro-muriatic acid, which took^ ' 3>2 ’ Was treated as before 
4 U ^ ucbad . ° f black powder, 53,4. !**«•. leaving* 
h. The black powder of g was dio-estPri 1 n dlss ° lv ^d being, therefore 10 « 
beat, and washed out with wfte, ^ W ‘ th *“">> » « 
J- Ihis alkaline snlntmn c , . . 
contact 
• rp, . W1UCH 
J- this alkaline solution was of a brio-bt 
contact with the silver crucible all nio-ht Olan o e colour: being left bv app'ri f • 
r.:“ » 7 - - i “ 
however °adl,e a®, dark brown colour of iridium 0srulum - Muriatic acid changed 
, adhe,ed t0 the filter in a shining black ^ rec,p,tatin e the ° s mium, which, 
o wxatK Him. and . .. * 
not be collected. 
