Important: Safety Warning
This page describes trade processes that use dangerously toxic materials such as cyanide solutions, mercury amalgams, or strong acids. These processes require training, equipment, and precautions far beyond what the text describes.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
Potassa
Pure potash (not the potash of commerce, which is an impure car- Mr. A. Connell's method is as follows: Put bonate of potassa), is the oxide of potassium. 50 grains of iodine into a large, tall flask: It occurs in two forms, anhydrous and hyadd 1 ounce of fuming nitric acid, boil, and drated potassa. As a general distinction, the as the iodine sublimes and condenses on the term potash applies to the crude commersides of the flask, continually wash it back cial, and potassa to the more purified, or again with the acid. Continue this until chemical preparations. none of the iodine remains unchanged. Then 3975. Anhydrous Potassa. This is a pour the whole into a shallow evaporating volatile, fusible, white substance, intensely dish, and evaporate to dryness. Redissolve, corrosive, and passing into the hydrate of poand again evaporate till all the nitrous acid is got rid of. tassa when moistened with water. It is obtained by the combustion of potassium in hot dry air.