Part 25

CRONSTEDT Min. § 223.

I am not able to ſay whether this is merely deprived of its phlogiſton, or whether it is not alſo mineralized by aerial acid.

§ 213.

VISMUTUM (biſmuth) mineralized by ſulphur. Sulphurated.

CRONSTEDT Min. § 224.

§ 214.

VISMUTUM (biſmuth) mineralized by ſulphur and iron. Pyritical.

CRONSTEDT Min. § 225.

NICCOLUM, OR NICKEL.

§ 215.

The regulus, when depurated, has a ſpecific gravity of 9,000, or more; but the common regulus, obtained by the firſt reduction, little exceeds 7,000. Aqua regia, and nitrous acid, diſſolve it perfectly; muriatic acid, ſlowly; vitriolic acid, not without boiling almoſt to dryneſs and the acetous acid does not act upon it, unleſs in a calciform ſtate. The quantity of phlogiſton ſeparated by ſolution, may be called 156; and this it retains with a force about equal to that with which iron retains its phlogiſton (§ 197).

The heat neceſſary to melt it, is about equal to that which gold requires; but when depurated, it is almoſt as difficult to melt as iron.

The properties of it are more fully examined elſewhere.

§ 216.

NICCOLUM nativum (nickel) native, united to iron and arſenic. Native.

It ſometimes, perhaps, contains cobalt. As it contains neither ſulphur nor mineralizing acid, and is perfectly in its metallic form, it muſt be called native, although joined to other metals.

§ 217.

NICCOLUM aeratum (nickel) mineralized by aerial acid. Aerated.

CRONSTEDT Min. § 255.

§ 218.

NICCOLUM (nickel) mineralized by ſulphur, arſenic, cobalt, and iron. Mineralized.

CRONSTEDT Min. § 256. Cuprum Nicolai. Kupfer nickel.

ARSENICUM, OR ARSENIC.

§ 219.

The ſpecific gravity of the radical acid, is 3,391; of white arſenic, 3,706; of its glaſſy ſtate, 5,000; and its regulus, 8,308. Aqua regia, and muriatic acid, diſſolve it perfectly; the vitriolic acid requires boiling; the acetous acts only upon its calx: the nitrous acid not only takes away as much phlogiſton as may be expreſſed by 109, deprived of which the regulus is reduced to the ſtate of a calx, but in a large quantity, aſſiſted by a proper degree of heat, it at length so far dephlogiſticates this calx, as to leave the acid of arſenic alone. Theſe phænomena are well worthy of obſervation, as they ſeem to lay open the nature of metals in general. From analogy, it is probable that every metal contains a radical acid of a peculiar nature, which, with a certain quantity of phlogiſton, is coagulated into a metallic calx; but with a larger quantity, ſufficient to ſaturate it, forms a compleat metal. The radical acid retains the coagulating phlogiſton much more ſtrongly than that which is neceſſary to the ſaturation. But different metallic acids retain both with different degrees of attraction. Hence the noble metals cannot be calcined in the dry way; it is only by acid menſtrua that they can be brought into that form; but all the others loſe their ſaturating phlogiſton in the fire, though with more or leſs difficulty. I have diſtinctly obſerved eleven different degrees of reſiſtance: thus, gold may be precipitated by all the other metals, except perhaps platina, which I think may thus be explained. The calx of gold having the greateſt attraction for phlogiſton, takes it from all other metals, and thus loſing its ſolubility falls down in a metallic ſtate. Therefore gold in the ſeries of metals, occupies at leaſt the ſecond place. Platina is precipitated by all, but leſs evidently than gold. To this therefore, I think we muſt give the firſt place, and so on of the others as I have remarked in the character of each metal. As nickel, cobalt, iron, manganeſe and zinc, do not precipitate one another, they are put together in the laſt and eleventh place.

In order to obtain the radical acids we muſt ſeparate them from the coagulating phlogiſton. If the induſtry of chemiſts ever effects this, I am confident that metallurgy will be wonderfully elucidated. This therefore is a taſk to which our labours muſt be directed. I know that analogy muſt be cautiously trusted, but it at leaſt leads us to new experiments. Hitherto this operation has only ſucceeded with arſenic; and it is worth notice, that this metal which holds the fifth place with reſpect to its quantity of phlogiſton, ſhould be inferior to all others with regard to the attraction by which the coagulating quantity is retained.

Arſenic melts, but the moment it ſuffers heat enough to melt it, it volatilizes, unleſs it be firſt calcined. The regulus thrown upon a plate of iron properly heated, preſently takes fire and calcines, diffuſing a ſmell like garlic.

§ 220.