On February 10th we received from Mr. C. R. Ridsdale, the Chemist at the North Eastern Co.’s Steel Works, at "Middlesbrough, samples of the following materials :— 1. “ Mixer metal,” i.e., mixed blast-furnace metal. 2. Roasted Cleveland iron ore. 3. F-lue dust. 4. Tap cinder. 5. Manganese ore. 6. Lime.
On February 12th, photographs of the oxyhydrogen flame spectra of these substances were obtained. The following are the particulars of this examination:—
1. The roasted Cleveland ore contained iron, sodium, potassium, manganese, chromium, nickel, copper, gallium, lead, and calcium.
2. The blast-furnace metal contained iron, sodium, potassium, manganese, nickel, copper, gallium, and lead.
3. Flue dust contained iron, sodium, potassium, manganese, chromium, nickel, copper, silver, gallium (doubtful), lead (strong), calcium, and rubidium. Rubidium was identified by the lines 4202 and 4216. (Thalen.) Calcium by line 4226, in the blue.
It is evident now that gallium is contained in the ore and is concentrated in the metal. 1. The manganese ore (a 15 per cent. Spanish ore) contained iron, sodium, potassium, manganese, copper1, silver, lead, indium, and calcium. The lines by which the indium and the silver were identified are as follows:—
Indium .......... 4510-2 410L3 S ilv er............ 3383’5 3282-1
The occurrence of indium is remarkable, as hitherto it has been found only in zinc blendes.
2. Tap cinder contained iron, sodium, potassium, manganese, copper, and lead.
3. Lime contained calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium, a trace of iron, and a trace of manganese.
The lime showed the following bands, characteristic of lime* :— Band in the orange from 6253 to 6116, degraded towards the more refrangible side. Band from 6075 to about 5900.
- ‘ Phil. Trans.,’ rol. 185, p. 182
