39 ABSTRACTS OF CHEMICAL PAPERS. Mineralogical Chemistry. Cedarite, an Amber-like Resin from Canada. By RICHARD KLEBS (Jahrb. f. Min., 1898, ii, 212; from Jahrb. k, preuss. geol. Landesanst., for 1896, 1--32).-This resin, to which the new name cedarite is given, has been known since 1890 at Cedar Lake, near the mouth of the North Saskatchewan River, and in many other parts of Western Canada. It occurs as isolated grains in wood-bearing, alluvial beds, and appears to have been originally derived from strata of Cretaceous or Tertiary age. The grains, having sometimes the form of drops, are rarely as large as a pea, and never exceed a walnut in size. The resin is clear yellow, but sometimes brown and cloudy. The sp. gr. is that of amber, but the hardness rather less. Analysis gave C.H. S. 0. Ash. Total. 78-15 9-89 0.31 11.20 0.45 100-00 Melting point 340' ; at 390' it decomposes and leaves a residue of 86.8 per cent. of colophony. Succinic acid is absent. It is of much less commercial use than Baltic amber, Other fossil resins are compared with the one here described. [This mineral(formerlycal1ed chemawinite) has already been described, Abstr., 1892,5731. It is only partially soluble in alcohol, ether, acetone, &c. L. J. 8.MINXRALOGICAL CBEMISTRP. 35 Uinfiahite (Gilsonite) Deposits of Utah. By GEORGE H. ELDRIDGE (Jahrb. f. &fin., 1808, ii. Ref. 211 ; from 17th Ama. Rept. 0.27. Geol. Survey, 1896, part i, 909-949).-Uintahite or gilsonite is an asphalt, occurring abundantly in the Uintah mountains ol Utah. It differs from albertite and grahamite in the brown or reddish-brown streak, hardness of 2-24, and sp.gr. of 1*065-1*070. It fills fissures, 1 in. to 18 ft. across, in the Tertiary beds, and has apparently been forced up from below. Analysis by W. C. Day (J. lipanklin Inst., 1895, 140, No. 837) gave, Solid C. H. S. O+N. Ash. Total. Volatile. residue. 88.30 9.96 1.32 [0.32] 0.10 100.00 54.46 43.43 and perhaps also of the naphthalene, series. Day considers it to be a mixture of hydrocarbons of the paraffin, L. J. S. Occurrence of Hydrogen Sulphide in the Natural Gas of Point Abino, Canada; Estimation of Sulphur in Gas Mix- tures. By FRANCIS C. PHILLIPS (J, Amer. Clem. SOC., 1898, 20, 696-705).-The gas escaping from the well a t Point Abino is strongly contaminated with hydrogen sulphide, which may be proved by passing it through solutions of lead acetate or ammoniacal cadmium chloride.The gas, after being passed through lead acetate, gives no precipitate or marked odour when again passed through mercuric chloride, showing the absence of volatile sulphur compounds ; palladium chloride also remains unaffected, In order to estimate the quantity of hydrogen sulphide, the lead sulphide obtained from a definite volume of the gas was oxidised by means of hydrochloric acid and potassium chlorate, and the sulphuric acid formed estimated as barium sulphide. A more convenient way, although requiring a complicated apparatus, was found to be to pass a current of carbonic oxide throiigh a definite volume of the gas, and then to burn the mixed gas in oxygen, the products of combustion being collected in an abForption apparatus containing sodium car- bonate and some bromine.All the sulphur was thus obtained as sulphuric acid, which was then estimated in the usual way, as barium By HJALMAR SJOGREN (Jcclwb. f. Min., 1898, ii, Ref. 209; from Geol. For. Forh., 1897, 19, 106--112).-1n the analysis of the new mineral retzian, a hydrated arsenate of manganese, calcium, &c., a constituent amounting to 10.3 per cent, (0-0082 gram) was previously not identified (Abstr., 1896, ii, 35). This is now stated to be rare earths, most probably yttrium oxides with a molecular weight of about 250. The manganese and calcium, as given in the analysis, may also have contained rare earths. A formula cannot yet be given. The orthorhombic crystals have the parameters, a : b : c : = 0.4414 : 1 : 0.7270.By WILLIAM RAMSAY and MORRIS W. TRAVERS (Prsc. Roy. Xoc., 1898, 62, 325-329).- The mineral examined gave, on analysis (by Miss Aston), sulphste. L. DE K. Composition of Retzian. L. J. 8. Fergusonite, an Endothermic Mineral. 3-236 ABSTRACTS OF CHEMICAL PAPERS. (Nb,l'a)@a. (Y,Er, &c ) 0 . (Ce, &c.)O,. VO,. UO,. TiO,. SiO,. Fe,0,. PbO. CuO. Total. 40-95 31.0Q2 13-87 3.36 3.81 4.56 1-42 1.55 0.16 0.12 100.89 When heated to 500-600°, the mineral suddenly becomes incan- descent, and liberates, per gram of mineral, He, 1-080 C.C. ; H,, 0.078 ; GO,, 0.245 ; N,, 0.027 ; on further heating with potassium hydrogen sulphate, it yields, in addition to CO,, He, 0.733; N,, 0.088; O,, 0.394 C.C.per gram of mineral. The total percentage of helium is 0.0326. The density is 5.619 before, 5-375 after, heating to incan- descence; the mean specific heat of the mineral between Oo and 1 7 ~ 3 ~ is 0,1069. To determine the heat of decomposition, the mineral was heated in a platinum crucible (contained in a calorimeter) by burning under the crucible, in oxygen, a known weight of hydrogen, and noting the additional rise of temperature above that obtained when hydrogen was burned under the empty crucible. The heat of decomposition is +SO9 calories per gram of mineral, and is probably caused by the decomposition of an endothermic compound of helium with some con- stituent of the mineral. Thaumasite from Skottvhg, Sweden. By HELGE BACKSTR~M (Jahrb. f. Mk, 1898, ii, Ref.196; from Geol. liiir. Piirh,, 1897, IS, 307--310).-Thaumasite has recently been found at a new Swedish locality, namely, in the mines of Skottvgng, parish of Ggsinge, Nykoping. It occurs as an aggregate of prismatic crystals between, and later than, crystal aggregates of apophyllite. The hexagonal prisms, are without distinct terminal faces, which are optically uniaxial and negative j o = 1.505, E = 1.468. Analysis gave7 C. F. B. Sp. gr. 1.811-1.875. H,O. CO,. SiO, SO,. CaO. Total. 43.28 7-01 9.68 12-88 27.16 100-01 CaSi0,,CaC0,,CaS04, 15 H,O. This agrees closely with the usual formula, Diopside (Salite) as a Weathering Product in Palaeopicrite from Medenbach (Nassau). By REINHARD BRAUNS (Jahrb. f. Nh., 1898, ii, 79-88).-With a little serpentine and calcite, salite fills crevices in a palaeopicrite at Medenbach, near Herborn ; it is compact to fibrous, and light grey to yellowish-grey. The optical characters are those of diopside, with the extinction angle & : c = 409 Sp.gr. =3-31. The following analysis by Noack gives the formula Ca(Mg,Fe)Si,O,. SiO,. FeO. MnO. A1203. CaO. MgO. Total. 55.56 3-65 trace - 24.51 15.58 99-30 L. J. S. The palaeopicrite is composed of olivine (mostly altered to ser- pentine), augite and plagioclase, with ilmenite and magnetite. Tn the serpentine are small, radiated groups of spear-shaped crystals of salite, which has been derived from the olivine. Kainosite from the KO Mine, Sweden. By HJALMAR SJ~GREN (Jahrb. f. Hin,, 1898, ii, Ref. 202 ; from Geol. F&r. F&h., 1897, 19, 54--60).-0nly one Norwegian crystal of this mineral, kainosite or cenosite, has previously been known.It has now been found in L. J. S.MINERALOGICAL CHEMISTRY. 37 small, isolated crystals associated with clinochlore and apatite in a druse consisting mainly of magnetite and diopside at the KO mine, Nordmark. The crystals, which do not exceed 2 mm. across, are yellowish-brown or dark chestnut-brown ; they are opaque and have a feeble vitreous to greasy lustre, H = 5-6 ; there is no distinct cleavage. The short, prismatic crystals are orthorhombic, with the forms { 1 lo}, (OOl), and {Oll), and others less prominent. The parameters, a : b : c = 0.9517 : 1 : 0.8832, are compared with those of cerite. The mineral is easily soluble in hydrochloric acid with evolution of gas (CO,?).Analysis by R. Mauzelius, on 000666 gram, gave SiO,. Y,O,. Fe,O,. CaO. MgO. Alkalis. H,O. COP Total. Sp. gr. 31.7 35.9 2.9 16-5 1.4 3.6 2.9 [5.1] 100.0 3.38 With the Fe,O, is possibly some BeO, and other elements may be present. Yttrium minerals usually occur in pegmatite veins and in other separations from ancient eruptive rocks; and an occurrence in an ore deposit is remarkable. This composition agrees with that of the Hitter0 mineral. L. J . S. Minerals [Hessonite, &c.] from the Urals. By ALEKSANDR N. russ. min. Ges., 1896, [ ii 3, 34, l-l60).-The new Eugenie-Maximi- lianow mines, 15-20 km. west and north-west of Ekaterinburg, yield the following minerals, many of them as fine crystals : garnet (hesso- nite, &c.), epidote (very abundant), sphene, axinite, clinochlore, microcline, idocrase, beryl, corundum, &c.These are, in nearly all cases, confined to the junction of the orthoclase rocks (granite and syenite), and the amphibole rocks (gneiss, &c.), but they also rarely occur in dolomite at the dolomite-granite contacts. The following analyses are given of hessonite. I. Fine, transparent rhombic-dodeca- hedral crystals, often 3-4 cm. across, light yellow to dark-reddish in colour, from Mt. Pup. 11. Transparent yellowish to orange-red crystals from Mt. Mjedwjeschka. 111. Greyish-yellow crystals from the same locality. Analyses I, I1 by W. Alexheff, I11 by W. Worobi6ff. VON KARNOJITSKY (Zeit. Kryst. Min., 1898,30,311-319 ; from h - h . k. SiO, TiO,. Al,O,. F%O,. CaO. Mn0. MgO. I.39.10 0.50 17.75 6.50 35.77 trace 0.19 11. 38-10 0.78 16-30 10.53 35.00 trace trace 111. 39.3 0.4 17.9 6.3 35.5 1.3 All the crystals of hessonite show optical anomalies, the lighter coloured being the most strongly birefringent, whilst the darker are sometimes almost isotropic. The difference in colour, depending on the amount of iron, is also connected with a difference in optical orientation. L. J. 8. [Mariposite.] By HENRY W. TURNER (Jahrb.f. Him, 1898, ii, Ref. 200 ; from 17th Ann. Rept. 77.8. Geol. Survey, 1896, part i, 678-679 ; and Arner. J. Xci., 1895, 40, 377).-Mariposite was described by Silliman in 1868 as a green, micaceous mineral from the gold-quartz veins of Tuohirnne and Mariposa counties, California. It is abundant38 ABSTRACTS OF CHEMICAL PAPERS. at the Josephine mine, near Beau Valley.Analyses by Hilbbrand gave I for the green, sp. gr.=2*817; and XI for the white, sp. gr. = 2.787. Water is not given off below 300'. In thin sections, both are nearly colourless : they show bright polarisation colours, and give straight, or nearly straight, extinction. SiO,. TiO,. A1,0,. Cr20,. Fe,O,. FeO. CaO. MgO. K20. (Li,Na),O. H,O. I. 55.35 0.18 25.62 0.1s 0.63 0.92 0.07 3.25 9.29 0.12 4.52 11. 56.79 25.29 Nil 1.59 0.07 3-29 8.92 0.17 4.72 No definite formula can be given, and the material appears to be similar to pinite. Marekanite-obsidian from Nicaragua. By JOHANNES PETERSEN (Ja1wb.f. Min., 1898, ii, 156-159).-Marekanite balls from Corinto in Nicaragua are described; they are about the size of hazel-nuts, and black, with vitreous lustre.They are difficult to break with a hammer, but when cut they fly to pieces; in form, they are approximately spheres or truncated pyramids, and the surfaces show concave areas. Under the microscope, fragments of the transparent, colourless glass show flow structure marked out by numerous globu- lites, trichites, and small crystals. These marekanite balls appear to be perlite balls rather than the kernels of perlites, as has been supposed, and a rock coinposed of them may be called a marekanite- obsidian. As shown by the following analysis, the composition is that of a Ziparite magma. - L. J. S. SiO,. Al,O,. FeO. MnO. MgO. CaO. K,O. Na20. H20. Total. 76.68 14.49 1 4 9 trace 0.84: 1.53 1.20 3.92 0.36 100.11 L. J. S. Dyke Rocks from Adamello Mountains. By CARLO RIVA (Jcchrb.f. Min., 1898, ii, Ref. 247; from Atti Xoc. Itccl. Sci. Nat., 1897, 27, 365).-Numerous dyke rocks, mostly intersecting the tonalite, have recently been found in the Adamello Mountains, on the Italian-Tyrol border ; they include diorite-porphyrites, vintlites, malchites, odinites, and aplites. Analysis I is of malchite, with horn- blende and biotite, from the Passo di Campo; 11, of malchite, with augite and biotite, from Lago d'Arno. Both are grey to grey-brown rocks with felspar (andesine-labradorite) and quartz. They are more basic than the surrounding tonalite. SiO,. AI20,. Fe,Os. MgO. CaO. Na,O. K,O. H,O. Total. I. 57.48 16.82 8.49 4.64 5.45 2-63 4-57 0.25 100.33 11. 56.77 20.02 6-40 3-70 5-40 4.01 3.94 0.13 100.36 L. J.S. Analysis of the Mineral Water of Castrocaro. By FAUSTO SESTINI and R. CAMPANI (L'Orosi, 1897,20,43-47).-The results of the analysis of this mineral water are given below in tabular form. The sp. gr. = 1.0312 at 15". Tho total volume of the gases expelled from one litre by boiling is 50.15 c.c., including CO,, 29.94 C.C. ; O,, 4.39 C.C. ; N, (gas unabsorbed by potash or phosphorus), 15.80 c,c,Substance. I Grams per litre. C1 ..................... Br. ..................... I. ....................... SO, .................... SiO, ................... P,O, .................. Substance. 36*8109 0.1382 0,1516 0.5845 0'0219 0'0026 N%O .................. CaO .................... MgO .................. Fe203.. ................ Organic matter.., ... Grams per litre.28 -0284 2'2047 1.2676 0*0014 0,6842 Total solid residue dried a t 180°= 61.7475. A series of monthly analyses made during the year 1891-1892 show that the composition of the water is fairly constant; there is, however, a marked decrease in the amounts of bromine and iodine, more especially the former, in the rainy months of the year. The Sulphur Water of Sandef'jord. By EYVIND B~DTKER (Annalen, 1898, 302, 43-51. Compare Strecker, Annalen, 1855, 95, 177). -The Sandefjord is in the neighbourhoodof Christiania, and opens into the Skager Rack. Water drawn from the spring there is a trans- parent, yellowish liquid having a powerful odour of hydrogen sulphide ; owing to separation of sulphur, it becomes turbid on exposure to the air, but clear again after a long interval.The liquid is neutral, but acquires alkaline properties if kept in glass bottles, black sulphide of iron separating during the change. On July 19, 1893, the temperature of the spring was 10.3O at half-past eleven, identical with that observed by Strecker towards the end of June, 1853 ; if the temperature is raised above this point, carbonic anhydride is liberated. The amount of solid matter dissolved in the water is very variable, and appears to fluctuate between 1.5 and 3 per cent. The quantity of hydrogen sulphide in 1000 C.C. is, on the other hand, fairly constant ; it amounted to 34.26 C.C. in the summer of 1892, and 37.89 C.C. a year later. A complete analysis of the gaseous and solid substances dis- solved in the water is given in the paper, showing that the quantities of carbonic anhydride and hydrogen sulphide have increased by 33 per cent. and 60 per cent. respectively during the last 50 years. The gytje is a peculiar, dark grey mud which collects in sheltered bays along this coast. At Sandefjord the gytje is greasy to the touch, and has the odour of hydrogen sulphide; it is used for mud baths. A specimen, dried at 100°, gave the following results on analysis. SiO,. A1,Op NaC1. KCl. K,SO,. CaO. Ca3P20,. MgO. FeO. 54-43 12.93 5 5 7 0.65 2.11 1.89 0.3'7 1-64 4-88 with organic matter (9.87), and chemically combined water 5.97, making the total 100.31. One thousand parts by weight of the moist sub- stance contained 1-53 and 0.083 parts of ammonia and hydrogen sul- phide respectively. The water in the fjord itself, observed by Strecker to contain only 1-40 per cent. of salts, now contains almost twice this amount. N. L. M. 0. F.