276 C H E M 
poured off before fubfidence, and the white and fixed 
oxyd is then fuffered to fall down ; this is called vsajhed 
diaphoretic antimony. It mull be carefully dried, and then 
moulded into little fquare pieces. The water, which 
floats above, holds in Jolution the. faline matters which 
were contained in the mixture, and alfo a portion of the 
metallic oxyd, alinoft acidified, united to the alkali of 
nitre. This kind of antimoniat of potafh is fulceptible 
of cryftallization, according to Berthollet. Acids decom- 
pofe it, and precipitate an oxyd of antimony, called ce- 
rufs of antimony , or the materia perlata of Kerkringius. 
The liquor which remains after the precipitation contains 
a fmall quantity cf nitre which had efcaped the detona¬ 
tion, a fmall quantity of fulphat of potafn produced dur¬ 
ing the detonation, and the neutral fait formed by the 
union of the acid to the alkali, which holds the metallic 
oxyd in folution. Though the latt l'alt varies according 
to the acid made ufe of, it is very improperly called an - 
timoniated nitre of Stahl. This fait in general is not nitre, 
becaufe the fulphuric or muriatic acids are ufually appli¬ 
ed to precipitate the oxyd of antimony; and, when the 
precipitation is well made, no part of the oxyd remains 
in the fait. 
Equal parts of fuper-oxygenatedmuriat of potafli, and 
of antimony in powder, fmoke under a blow of the ham¬ 
mer, but only produce reddifh fparks with fulphuric acid. 
Antimony appears capable of decompofing muriat of 
foda; for, if a mixture of thefe two fubltances be heated 
in a retort, fublimated muriat of antimony pafles over into 
the receiver, according to the obfervation of Monnet. 
This cliemilt has not deferibed the refidue of the opera¬ 
tion. This metal does not readily decompofe muriat of 
ammoniac, according to Bucquet, and the butter, or fub¬ 
limated muriat, of antimony, is not obtained in this pro- 
cefs, as Juncker affirms. 
Antimony unites by fufion with gold, and renders it 
pale and brittle. It may be leparated from gold by a vio¬ 
lent heat in the form of a white fublimate. Antimony 
precipitates gold from its folution inaqua regia, but it falls 
along with the gold in the Hate of an oxyd. Platina and 
antimony combine eafily together. The mixturels hard, 
brittle, and fine grained. It is difficult to free the pla¬ 
tina from this metal again, for it becomes infufible.in 
proportion as the-antimony is feparated. Platina is pre¬ 
cipitated from aqua regia by antimony, but the antimony 
falls down along with it in the form of an oxyd. Silver 
melts eafily with antimony, and forms with it a very brit¬ 
tle mixture. Antimony precipitates filver from nitric 
acid. Silver takes fulpliur from the fulphure of antimo¬ 
ny by fufion. Mercury does not amalgamate eafily with 
antimony. JDiftilled with cinnabar, the antimony unites 
with the fulphur, and allows the mercury to pafs over 
into the receiver. If three parts of antimony, with eight 
of oxygenated muriat of mercury, be diltilled together, 
the muriat, ufually termed butter of antimony, pafles 
over into the receiver, and the reduced mercury, with 
fome antimony, remains in the retort. If inftead of the 
metal, fulphure of antimony be ufed in this procefs, cin¬ 
nabar will be fublimed into the neck of the retort. Lead 
and antimony form by fufion a brittle mats. It is a mix¬ 
ture of this kind which is ufed for making printers’ types, 
in the proportion of eighty parts of lead, to from twen¬ 
ty-five to fifteen of antimony. Lead has the ftrongeft 
affinity for acids,- and takes by fufion the fulphur from 
fulphure of antimony; Bifmuth and antimony form a 
brittle niafs. Bifmuth has the ftronger affinity for acids, 
and takes fulphur by fufion from the antimonial fulphure. 
Antimony forms a lead-coloured mixture with nickel. 
It has a lefs affinity than nickel for acids and fulphur. 
Copper becomes pale and brittle by its union with anti¬ 
mony. It precipitates antimony from acids, and takes 
by fufion fulphur from the fulphure of antimony. Arfe- 
nic forms a brittle mafs with antimony. The oxyd of 
arfenic melts with it into a flux. Iron melts with anti¬ 
mony into a hard white brittle mafs. The antimony may 
r S T R Y. 
be feparated from this combination by fire, or by folution. 
in aqua regia, and fubfequent dilution with water. Iron 
having a ftronger affinity for fulphur than antimony, is 
commonly ufed to free it from that fubftance. Cobalt 
and antimony form by fufion a brittle mafs. The cobalt 
has the ftrongell affinity for acids and fulphur. Tin 
melts with antimony into a white brittle mixture. An¬ 
timony is alfo ufed to harden tin. It yields to tin in its 
affinities for acids and fulphur. Zink forms with anti¬ 
mony a brittle mafs. In precipitating antimony from 
aqua regia, a portion of the oxyd of zink falls along with 
it. The zink has an inferior affinity for fulphur. 
Having now examined the principal properties of the 
metal antimony, it is neceflary likewile to confider its ore, 
which is improperly called antimony, or crude antimony ; 
but which modern chemifts call native fulphure of anti¬ 
mony. At the beginning of this article it has been fliewn 
how to feparate a portion offulphurfromthisfulphure, and 
t-liat a grey oxyd refults from the operation.Ifinftead ofmel t- 
ing this grey oxyd with combultible matters, it be brought 
alonein fufion, it is converted into a vitreous tranfparent 
matter, varioufly coloured, from a faint yellow to a very 
lirong hyacinth-red. This is called glafs of antimony. 
To perform this operation, put the fulphurated grey 
oxyd of antimony into a crucible; place it in a furnace, 
and urge the fire till the matter be in perfect fufion : to 
know when it is fufficiently melted, put in an iron wire; 
if it draw out a tranfparent thready matter, like common 
glafs, it is well; take off the crucible, and pour its con¬ 
tents on a plate of copper : this is glafs of antimony : it 
is very brittle, and breaks of itfelf in cooling. 
There is another preparation, called liver of antimo?iy, 
from its dark colour like the liver of animals, which only 
differs from the preceding in the oxyd containing much 
more fulphur; lb that the glafs proceeding from it is 
more fufible and more opaque. Calcine, for this purpofe, 
the antimonial fulphure, but much lefs than when it is 
intended to convert the oxyd into glafs. Then melt the 
oxyd in a crucible, which is eafily done : pour it into an 
iron mortar, and you have a vitriform matter of the co¬ 
lour of liver. If the antimony fhould be too much cal¬ 
cined, a fubftance would be produced partaking of the 
nature and tranfparency of glafs of antimony ; but this 
may be remedied by adding a little fulphure of antimony 
in powder. 
Sulphure of antimony, or the natural combination of 
fulphur with the metal, is in general more l'oluble, and 
is lefs oxydated by acids than the metal itfelf. It feems 
as if the fulphur partly defended the antimony from the 
adlion of thefe faline fubftances. The adlion of the ful¬ 
phuric, nitric, and muriatic, acids, on this fulphure, 
has not been fufficiently examined ; it is known only that 
a fmall portion of kerrnes is formed by the folution of ful¬ 
phure of antimony in muriatic acid, which proves that 
the water has been decompol'ed. The nitro-muriatic acid 
has a moderate aftion on this fubftance ; fome fulphur 
is feparated and precipitated. Reduce the fulphure of 
antimony to a grofs powder ; put it into a matrafs ; pour 
over it four times its weight of nitro-muriatic acid; heat 
the matrafs flightly, if neceflary ; but, if the acid be good, 
the folution may be made without heat; the antimony 
dilfolves, and the fulphur forms a white precipitate, 
which becomes yellow after being waffied and dried. If 
lime-water be poured over fulphure of antimony in pow¬ 
der, a yellowiffi precipitate will be formed in a few hours j 
if left in digeltion for feveral days, it affords a golden 
fulphur of a beautiful red colour. 
The mixture of l’uiphure of antimony with potafh, 
form a preparation known under the name of kermes mi¬ 
neral. The name of kermes was given to it by a Char- 
treux friar, named Simon, doubtlefs on account of its co¬ 
lour, which refembles that of the animal called kermes, 
which is employed in dying. Kermes mineral has like- 
wife been called Poudre des Cbartreux, becaufe it was firfi 
prepared by perfons of that religious order. The difeo- 
very 
