LANTHANUM n.
A rare element of the group of the earth metals, allied to aluminium. It occurs in certain rare minerals, as cerite, gadolinite, orthite, etc., and was so named from the difficulty of separating it from cerium, didymium, and other rare elements with which it is usually associated. Atomic weight 138.5. Symbol La. [Forme…
MELLITIC a.
white, crystalline, organic substance, C6(CO2H)6, occurring naturally in combination with aluminium in the mineral mellite, and produced artificially by the oxidation of coal, graphite, etc., and hence called also graphitic acid.
METAL n.
sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, etc.; also, sometimes, the metals of the earths, as aluminium. -- Muntz metal, an alloy for sheathing and other purposes, consisting of about sixty per cent of copper, and forty of zinc. Sometimes a little lead is added. It is named from the inventor. -- Prince's metal (Old Chem.…
TERRA n.
[L., white earth] (Com.), a white amorphous earthy substance consisting of burnt gypsum, aluminium silicate (kaolin), or some similar ingredient, as magnesia. It is sometimes used to adulterate certain foods, spices, candies, paints, etc. -- Terra cotta. Etym: [It., fr. terra earth + cotta, fem. of cotto cooked, L. c…
THALLIUM n.
A rare metallic element of the aluminium group found in some minerals, as certain pyrites, and also in the lead-chamber deposit in the manufacture of sulphuric acid. It is isolated as a heavy, soft, bluish white metal, easily oxidized in moist air, but preserved by keeping under water. Symbol Tl. Atomic weight 203.7.…
ZINC n.
el (Min.), a mineral, related to spinel, consisting essentially of the oxides of zinc and aluminium; gahnite. -- Zinc vitriol (Chem.), zinc sulphate. See White vitriol, under Vitriol. -- Zinc white, a white powder consisting of zinc oxide, used as a pigment.