SULPHUR. Brimstone. A yellow brittle mineral product, found in various parts of the world; but apparently most abundant in volcanic regions. It most commonly occurs massive ; but it is sometimes met with crystallized in the form of an oblique rhombic octoedron. Fine specimens of this description are seen in our mineral cabinets, and bear a high price. A considerable quantity of sulphur is also obtained from some of its metallic combinations, such as the sul phurets of copper and of iron. These ores are heated, or roasted, as it is term ed, in furnaces so constructed that the sulphur vapor may he condensed, and from time to time collected ; this, when purified by fusion, is cast into moulds, and forms common or roll brimstone. Small quantities of sulphur also occur in several animal and vegetable products, and are frequently recognized by the odor of sulphuretted hydrogen which they evolve during putrefaction. Sulphur is a non-conductor of electricity, insipid, and inodorons, unless rubbed or heated, when it evolves a sulphurous smell. Its specific gravity is 1.99. It melts at about 216° ; and when heated to about 250° it becomes a limpid, amber-colored liquid ; if the beat be raised to about 450°, it again becomes viscid and deeper colored ; at 480° up to its boiling point it acquires rather more fluidity ; at about 600° it rises rapidly in vapor, and in close ves sels condenses in the form of a fine ye! low powder, composed of crystalline grains: in this state it is Balled Powers of sulphur. The earthy and metallic im purities which, with a portion of sulphur, remain in the subliming vessel, were for merly called sulphur Divans. When sul phur in its viscid state of fusion is pour ed into water it becomes a ductile mass, which slowly hardens, and which is often used for taking impressions of seals and medals. When sulphur is in the forin of vapor it is of a dense orange color: its specific gravity in that state is about 6.6 and 100 cubic inches of it should there fore weigh about 206 grains.
There is another form of sulphur, which is sometimes called milk of sulphur (lao sulphuris) and which is a hydrate of owl phur ; it is obtained by precipitating sul phur by muriatic acid from certain of its alkaline solutions. When sulphur which has been melted is suffered to cool slow ly, its interior often exhibits prismatic crystals • and very beautiful specimens of this artificial crystallization of sulphur may be obtained by melting a few pounds of it in a crucible or ladle, and when par tially cooled piercing the outer crust and inverting the vessel, so that the interior liquid part may run out; on breaking the mass when cold, the cavity will be found lined with prismatic crystals.
The results of the combustion of sul phur, its equivalent nnmber (16), and several other details respecting its com binations and uses, are given under the heads Of SULPHUREPPED HYDROGEN, and of SULPHURIC and SULPHUROUS Acme.
Sulphur is insoluble in water ; it dis solves in boiling oil of turpentine, and is deposited often in crystals as the solution cools. It is also soluble in alcohol, if both substances be brought together in the state of vapor. It combines also with chlorine, bromine, and iodine. Its na tive combinations with the metals form some of the most important ores. It is from the sulphurets of lead and of copper that the commercial demands for these valuable metals are almost exclusively supplied.
Sulphur is of great importance in the arts. It is used extensively in the ma nufacture of gunpowder, and in the for mation of sulphuric acid, or oil of vitriol.
A great portion of the sulphur em ployed in Europe is obtained from Sicily, to which country its extraction is so impor tant, that out of 2,000,000 inhabitants, about 20,000 are employed in it ; and the amount received by Sicily for sulphur exported, amounts to $1,830,000 per an num.
There are no minerals containing pure sulphur, found in the United States ; at least, not in sufficient quantity to be of practical use. The chief sources from which sulphur can be obtained, are the sulphurets of the metals, which we pos sess in great abundance. Sulphur may be extracted from iron pyrites, by simple distillation in iron or stone, when they yield one half the sulphur they can con tain; the remainder, sulphuret of iron, is easily converted into copperas. Al most the whole of the crude sulphur of this country is imported from Europe.
Sulphur exists in nature not only in the mineral, but most abundantly in the vegetable kingdom also : without it plants could not exist ; for there is no plant in which albumen is not found, and to the existence of albumen, sulphur is an indispensable requisite. In the ani mal kingdom, too, sulphur exists in large quantities.