III. An analysis of a mineral substance from North America, containing a metal bitberto unknown

Abstract

In the course of the last summer, when I was examining and arranging some minerals in the British Museum, I observed a small specimen of a dark-coloured heavy substance, which attracted my attention, on account of some resemblance which it had with the Siberian chromate of iron, on which at that time I was making experiments. Upon referring to Sir Hans Sloane’s catalogue, I found that this specimen was only described as “a very heavy black stone,“ with golden streaks,” which proved to be yellow mica; and it appeared, that it had been sent, with various specimens of iron ores, to Sir Hans Sloane, by Mr. Winthrop, of Massachu-sets. The name of the mine, or place where it was found, is also noted in the catalogue; the writing however is scarcely legible: it appears to be an Indian name, (Nautneauge;) but I am in­ formed by several American gentlemen, that many of the Indian names (by which certain small districts, hills, &c. were forty or fifty years ago distinguished,) are now totally forgotten, and European names have been adopted in the room of them. This may have been the case in the present instance; but, as the other specimens sent by Mr. Winthrop were from the nines of Massachusets, there is every reason to believe that the mineral substance in question came from one of them, although it may not now be easy to identify the particular mine.