METALLIC STATISTICS.

165

Prepared in his economical method (see this article). This salt is the best re-agent forMeeting nickel in cobalt. The solution of the two metals being acidulated, the cyanide( 8 to be added until the precipitate that first falls is redissolved. Dilute sulphuric acid* s then added, and the mixture being warmed and left in repose, a precipitate does not*®il to appear sooner or later, which is a compound of nickel. Cyanide of potassiumserves well to separate lead, bismuth, cadmium, and copper, four metals often associated* n ores. On adding the cyanide in excess to the solution of these metals in nitric acid,*ead and bismuth fall as carbonates, and may be parted from each other by sulphuricac id. Sulphuretted hydrogen is passed in excess through the residuary solution, andl ^e mixture being heated, a smijll quantity of cyanide is added : a yellow precipitate in-Ptcates cadmium; and a black precipitate falls on the addition of hydrochloric acid, ifcopper be present.

. If into a crucible (containing the cyanide fused by heat), a little of any metallic ox-1( le be thrown at intervals, it will be almost immediately reduced to the reguline state,when the fluid mass is afterward decanted, the metal will be found mixed with the"flute saline matter, from which it may be separated by water.

. Even metallic sulphurets are reduced to the state of pure metals by being projected

a state of fine powder into the fused cyanide. When an iron ore is thus introduced,"long with carbonate of potash or soda, and the mixture is heated to fusion, which re-tires a strong red heat, the alumina and silica of the ore fuse into a slag; from which,°8 cooling, the metallic iron may be separated by the action of water, and then weighed,u manganese exist in the ore, it remains in the state of protoxide ; to be determined b|~" separate process. When oxide of copper is sprinkled on the surface of the fused c*ai Ude, it is immediately reduced, with the disengagement of heat and light. The mix-Wre being poured out of the crucible and concreted, is to be ground and washed, when" Pure regulus of copper will be obtained.

The process of reduction is peculiarly interesting with the oxide of antimony and tin ;“cing accomplished at a low red heat, hardly visible in daylight. Even the sulphurets°f these metals are immediately stripped of their sulphur, with the formation of sulpho-c yanide of potassium.

. Cyanide of potassium, mixed with carbonate of soda, is an excellent re-agent in blow-jj'pe operations for distinguishing metals. The reductions take place with the utmostmcilityj an d the fused mixture does not sink into the charcoal, as carbonate of soda"lope is apt to do in such cases. Hence the grains or beads of metal are more visible,""d can be better examined.

When the cyanide is heated along with the nitrates and chlorates (of potash), it causes" r apid decomposition, accompanied with light and explosions.

Arsenic may be readily detected in the commercial sulphuret of antimony, by fusingI With three fourths of its weight of the cyanide in a porcelain crucible over a spirit"nip, when a regulus of antimony is obtained. The metal may then be easily tested

for

arsenic, since none of this volatile substance can have been lost, owing to the low

e ®iperature employed.

When arsenious acid, or orpiment, or any of the arseniates, are mixed with six times‘aeir weight of the mixture of cyanide and carbonate of soda in a tube with a bulb at""o end, and heat applied with a spirit lamp to the glass, very beautiful rings of me-l allic mirror are formed by the reduced arsenic. The arseniates of lead and peroxide' tron, however, do not answer to this test. _ •

. When sulphates of lead and barytes, along with silica, are mixed with four or livehues their weight of the above mixed cyanide and carbonate, and fused, the sulphateJead is reduced to the metallic state, the sulphate of barytes becomes a carbonate, andsilica gets combined with the alkali into a soluble glass.

, METALLIC STATISTICS. By the returns to five several orders made by the°Use of commons, which were obtained by the exertions and perseverance of Sir J.

Guest, Sir C. Lemon, and Mr. Evans (M. P. for North Derbyshire), we are enabledP lay before our readers a most correct account of the various exports and imports of1 or * and iron ore, hardware, cutlery, &c., copper ore, copper, tin, zinc, lead ore, anda 'h for the year ending January 5, 1844.

( Commencing with iron, it appears there was imported in the year, iron ore, 131jJ 1 ® i_chromate of iron, 1,393 tons; pig-iron, 243 tons; unwrought iron in bars,( tons; bloom, 563 tons; rod-iron, 12 tons; old, broken, and cast-iron, 286. " s ! cast-iron, only 8 tons; steel, unwrought, 1,697 tons: of these, 97 tons onlyentered by weight, the remainder by value—11,0351. 6s. 9d. Of the several. entries from which these importations came, the principal is Sweden , whence wediv-a rece * ve d of iron 10,909 tons, and steel 1,558 tons, leaving but a small portion toin iT e between twenty other places: Our exports of foreign iron have been, unwrought1 3,986 tons; rod, 10 tons; hoops, 2 tons; cast-iron, 11 cwt.; steel, unwrought,

, tons. The total quantity of foreign iron retained for home consumption was