WATURAL HISTORY OF COFFER.

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COPPER.

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PART LII.

SECT. I.

NATURAL HISTORY OF COPPER.

Copper is found in the earth in various states. It is foundnative, (native copper) possessing the red colour, malleability,and many of its other properties; it is however not quite pure,but generally mixed with a minute portion of gold or silver.

This ore is found of an indeterminate figure, in solid and com-pact masses j sometimes in plates and threads, which assumea variety of forms. It crystallizes in cubes. It then is flexible.It has much metallic lustre. It is found in many parts ofEurope.

Copper ores are very numerous. Copper combined with oxi-gen forms oxid of copper, o'r the earthy copper ore, (mountainblue.) United to carbonic acid it constitutes the hepatic copperores, (mountain green,) &c. The compact ore of this kind istermed malachite.

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