Abstract
MR. W. KIRBY'S observation of the occurrence of the element mercury in coal-tar, recorded by Dr. Aston in NATURE of April 2, p. 489, is another instance of the wide distribution of an element in minute quantity. Employing the method of spectrum analysis by oxy-hydrogen or oxy-coal gas flames (Hartley and Ramage, Trans. Chem. Soc., 71, 533, 1897, etc.) in a search for sources of potassium in flue dusts during the War, certain samples were found to contain notable quantities of gallium. Experiments have been made as occasion permitted to perfect a method for extracting that rare metal from Norwich Gas Works' flue dust, derived from South Yorkshire coal, and in the course of the work the presence of the following elements has been noted: lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, copper, silver, calcium, strontium, zinc, aluminium, gallium, indium, thallium, carbon, titanium, silicon, lead, vanadium, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, oxygen, chromium, molybdenum, sulphur, manganese, chlorine, iron, and nickel. Circumstances have not permitted a complete analysis to be made, and one substance, at least, awaits final purification and identification. Certain selected pieces of dust, partially fritted, apparently contain about 2 per cent. of gallium, and the proportions of zinc and vanadium are probably higher still.
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RAMAGE, H. Gallium in Flue Dust. Nature 119, 783 (1927). https://doi.org/10.1038/119783b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/119783b0
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