The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-02-20
Meerschnum-Whatf It is--Where 1t Is Got
=. and how it L. Manufactured.

Meersclinum:-What It is-Where 1t Is Got
and how it is Manufactured.
The mineral meerschaum is well known to be q
hydrated silicate Of magnesia, with two etulva-
lsnts Of water. The variety most valued is COM
pact, susceptible Of being wrought and receiving q
beautiful polish. It is almost exclusively employ
ed for making tobacco pipes and segar holders. "A a
strange announcement has been put forth that It
may Be substituted for the subnitrate Of bismuth
in chole-atic diseases. Deposits Of meerschaum
are very rare, which accounts for it's high price.
Some VEINS however, are found In the Paris basin,
at Chenevieres, in the environs Of Madrid, but
these are OF little value compared with the ARTICLES
from Asia Minor, being too soft and fragile. The
mining OF meerschan1n is carried on largely at
Kiltohik, in AnatoIa; the Kind found there al
though soft and greasy to the tonch, when fresh
becomes hard and white in the fire.
Some obscurity exists still as to the mode OF pre-
pairing the crude meersohaum, nevertheless it is
known that the pipes made in An8to!ia are mould
ed The crude earth is neaded md pressed into
molds, the article being then dr1e9 in the sun and
hardened in the fire. Il is then boiled in milk,
on the SPOT are, however, little ID demand-those
Hroughf in Germany or Belgium being much more
esteemed. The meerschaum which is to be e1-
ported is prepared in Konie, nodded into blocks,
dried and slightly baked. After cutting out, the
manufacturers are in the habit Of submitting the
pipes to preparation Of wax, spermaceh or para
tne. The chips are powdered, formed into paste
with water, dried and hardened in the ire. Ihe
pipes made from this waste material are, however,
Of an inferior quality, the first baking to which
The material was originally submitted having pro-
duced slight hittage, which renders subsequent
cohesion difficult to produce.
The manufacture Of meerschsum artifcially has
been the object CT many researches. The follow
ing method gives very good results when operated
by an intelligent and sk1ful chemist It is found
ed simply upon the double decomposition Of solu-
BILE alkaline silicates by sulphate Of magnesia.
One pound avoirdupois Of snlphate Of magnesia is
dissolved in about quart Of water. Two quarts
OF solution of soluble siicate Of density 25 is
poured into this, both liquids being at about 20
degrees Fahr. The product is gelatlnous pre-
cipitate, which is long washed, first with boiling,
then with cold water; until all alkaline sulphate is
and dried at temperature Of not over 1000 Fair:
The mass thus produced is compact, fiable and
very similar to the natural meerschanm, and is
susceptible of being manipulated and Inanufac-
tured in the same way as the latter. For some
years NJ. Wagner has obtained good results by
different method: He incorporates with one part
OF casne, six parts Of calcinated magnesa, and one
bart of oyyd Of zinc. Upon drying this mixture,
there results material Of lustrous whiteness,
very. hard, susceptible Of being cut and polished,
and which perfectly Stimulates the natural meer-
schaum.