AmNovr;J8h6arm'}      Production  of  the  Alkaline  Metals.  541 
A  NEW  PROCESS  FOR.  THE  PRODUCTION  OF  THE 
ALKALINE  METALS. 
By  Hamilton  Y.  Castnee,  op  New  Yoek. 
Abstract  of  a  paper  read  before  the  Chemical  Section  of  the  Franklin  Institute,  October  12, 
1886,  communicated  by  the  author. 
The  process  which  I  employ  consists  in  reducing  either  the  hydrate 
or  carbonate  of  an  alkali,  when  in  a  fused  state,  at  moderate  tempera- 
tures, by  the  use  of  the  carbide  of  a  metal  or  its  equivalent,  whereby 
an  excess  of  carbon  is  avoided  and  the  use  of  lime  is  rendered 
unnecessary.  The  reducing  substance,  due  to  its  composition  and 
gravity,  remains  below  the  surface,  and  is  therefore  in  direct  contact 
with  the  fused  alkali.  By  the  equivalent  of  the  carbide  of  a  metal, 
I  mean  a  mechanical  compound  of  carbon  and  metal  from  which  the 
metal  cannot  be  separated,  excepting  by  the  aid  of  acids  or  intense 
heat.  Such  a  compound  I  produce  by  coking  a  mixture  of  tar  and 
iron  (previously  reduced  in  a  fine  state  of  division,  by  carbonic  oxide 
or  hydrogen).  From  experience,  such  proportions  of  tar  and  iron 
are  used,  as  will  produce,  when  the  mixture  is  coked,  a  heavy  mass  of 
metallic  coke,  having  about  the  composition  of  iron  seventy  per  cent, 
and  carbon  thirty  per  cent,  equivalent  to  the  formula  FeC2.  This 
mechanical  compound,  after  being  ground,  is  ready  for  use  and  con- 
sists of  fine  particles  of  iron  coated  with  carbon,  fully  answering  the 
purposes  of  a  true  carbide.  I  prefer  to  use  caustic  soda  in  the  prepa- 
ration of  sodium  on  account  of  its  fusibility,  and  with  it  mix  such 
quantity  of  the  so-called  "  carbide,"  that  the  carbon  contained  in  the 
mixture  shall  not  be  in  excess  of  the  amount  theoretically  required  to 
reduce  all  the  soda  to  sodium,  according  to  the  following  reaction : 
3  NaHO+FeC2=3Na+Fe+CO+C02+3  H, 
or  to  every  100  pounds  of  pure  caustic  soda,  fifteen  pounds  of 
"carbide,"  containing  about  twenty-two  pounds  of  carbon,  is  added. 
The  treatment  of  this  mixture  is  carried  on  in  large  cast-iron  cruci- 
bles in  a  furnace,  the  general  arrangement  of  which  are  as  follows : 
The  heating  space  of  the  furnace  is  divided  into  separate  chambers, 
the  dimensions  of  the  same  depending  upon  the  size  of  the  crucibles 
to  be  heated,  and  the  number  of  these  compartments  are  in  proportion 
to  the  capacity  of  production  desired  for  the  furnace.  An  aperture 
is  provided  in  the  bottom  of  each  chamber,  through  which  the  cruci- 
ble may  be  raised  by  mechanical  means  into  its  position  in  the  furnace. 
