Page:TASJ-1-3.djvu/37

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

29

We will now mention some other Japanese copper-minerals, which are not used in copper smelting, but find, nevertheless, some useful applications in other branches of industry or in daily life.

Fifth.Malachite (green) is found mostly scattered with the former ores, but seems not to be found in any large quantity. It occurs in irregular stalactitic aggregates of a radiate, fibrous structure with a silky lustre on the fracture and also in amorphous masses. The Japanese names for it are Roku-sho or Iwa-roku-sho, Syn. Seki-roku, Hitsu-seki, Kon-ron-roku. The best kinds are found in the coppermines of Ota in the province of Setsu, Ani in the Dewa province, Yamashire-yama in Choshu, Ashiwo-yama in Kotsuke, Kusagura in the Aidsu district of the province of Sendai, etc., although very fine kinds of malachite used as a drug and paint were formerly imported by the Chinese at Nagasaki.

It is used in the Japanese porcelain-industry as a green porcelain-paint, and also as an ordinary painting or drawing stuff. It can be found in the drug shops and is also used as an external medicine against some diseases of the eye and skin. For the use of painting, powder of malachite is mixed with chalk and water; from this paste small half spheroïdal grains are made, which are known under the name of Tama-roku-sho or Mume-roku-sho (Bean-malachite), and which are sold in every drug-shop. An impure, sandy variety of malachite-sand, which is much cheaper, will be found under the name of Suna-roku-sho and a greenish-white coloured kind of silicic-malachite (earthy variety), is sold under the name of Haku-roku.

Sixth.Blue Malachite or Chessylite (earthy variety), [Erdige Kupferlasure or Bergblau] occurs in amorphous earthy masses. We did not see any fine chrystallized specimens. It is dissolved easily in acids, with evolution of carbonic acid. It should be found—according to Ono Ranzan—in coppermines—the Ani in Dewa, Ota in Setsu, Ashiwo-ynma in Kotsuke; at Uweno in the province of Sagami an inferior kind is said to occur. It bears the names: Ku-sei or Iwa-konjo,