COPPER. 
The consequence is, the formation of blue nitrat, and 
the precipitation of a red powder, which is copper rè 
duced *. 
Sp. 4. Muriated Copper. 
MURIATIC ACID has no action on copper while cold ; 
but, by the assistance of heat, it oxidates and dissolves 
that metal, while at the same time hydrogen gas is evol 
ved, and part of the acid volatilized. By this process 
the copper is oxidated to a maximum. But muriatie 
acid is also capable of combining with the orange oxide 
of copper, and of forming another salt, first discovered 
by Mr Proust, and afterwards more precisely examined 
by Mr Chenevix. Let us distinguish these salts, by 
calling the first oxy-muriat of copper, because the me 
tal contained in it is oxidated to a maximum, and gi 
ving the name of muriat to the salt discovered by Mr 
Proust. 
1. Oxy-muriat of copper. This salt may be obtain 
ed either by dissolving copper in muriatic acid by the 
assistance of heat, or by throwing the oxide of copper 
into that acid cold. The solution, which is of a fine 
green colour, yields, when sufficiently concentrated, 
and allowed to cool slowly, crystals of oxy-muriat of 
copper, in the form of rectangular parallelopipeds, of a 
fine grass-green colour. 
This salt is exceedingly acrid and caustic. Its spe 
cific gravity is 1.6775 †. It is very soluble in water; 
and when exposed to the air, very soon attracts mois 
ture, and is converted into a liquid of the consistence of 
oil. At a moderate heat it melts, and assumes a solid 
* Jour. de Pbys. li. 182. 
Hassenfratz, Ann. de Cbim. xxviii. 12. 
Ii3 
5er 
chep II, 
Properties,