Lead Smelting and Refining, With Some Notes on Lead Mining
Science
Lead Smelting and Refining, With Some Notes on Lead Mining
Lead -- Metallurgy; Lead mines and mining
From 5 g. of the mixture a dark-gray porous cake weighing 3.7g. was
thus obtained. There was some undecomposed gypsum present, recognizable
under the magnifying glass. No metallic lead had separated out. When
hot hydrochloric acid was poured over the mixture, it evolved hydrogen
sulphide. The fracture of the cake showed isolated shining spots. The
supposition that it was melted or sublimed galena was confirmed by
the aspect of the cake when cut with a knife; the surface showed the
typical appearance of the cut surface of melted galena. On cutting, the
cake was found to be brittle, with a tendency to crumble. On boiling
with acetic acid, a little lead went into solution. Wetting with water
did not change the color of the crushed cake.
_Experiment 6._—In his experiments for determining the melting point
of galena, Lodin[28] found that, in addition to its sublimation at a
comparatively low temperature, the galena also undergoes oxidation if
carbon dioxide is used as the “neutral” atmosphere. Lodin was therefore
compelled to use a stream of nitrogen in his determination of the
melting point of galena. Now the temperature of experiment 2 (850 deg.
C.), described heretofore, is not as high as the melting point of
galena (which lies between 930 and 940 deg. C.); therefore experiment 2
was repeated in a stream of nitrogen, so as to insure a really neutral
atmosphere. A mixture of galena and calcined gypsum in molecular
ratio (PbS + CaSO₄) was heated to 850 deg. C., was kept at this
temperature for one hour, and allowed to cool, the entire operation
being carried out in a stream of nitrogen.
Again, galena had sublimed away from the hotter end of the porcelain
boat (6.5 cm. long), and had been partially deposited in the form of
small crystals of lead sulphide at the colder end. The material in
the boat consisted of a mixture of particles having the dark color
of galena, and others with the white color of gypsum, the original
crystals of gypsum and the bright surfaces of the lead sulphide being
distinctly recognizable under the magnifying glass. The loss in weight
was 1.9 per cent.
_Experiment 7._—For the same reason as in 2, experiment 5 was also
repeated, using a current of nitrogen. A mixture of galena and
calcined gypsum, in molecular ratio (PbS + CaSO₄) was heated in a
porcelain boat to 1030 deg. C., in a platinum-resistance furnace, and
allowed to cool, being surrounded by a stream of nitrogen during the
whole period.
Some sublimation of lead sulphide again took place. The mixture was
seen to consist of white particles of gypsum, and others dark, like
galena. The loss in weight was 3.5 per cent. The mixture had sintered
together slightly; with hot hydrochloric acid, it evolved hydrogen
sulphide. On boiling with acetic acid, a little lead (only a trace)
went into solution. There was, therefore, practically no lead oxide
present; no metallic lead had separated out.
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