Note 53 — Chapter XIV · THE VALENCY AND SPECIFIC HEAT OF THE METALS. MAGNESIUM. CALCIUM, STRONTIUM, BARIUM, AND BERYLLIUM

Barium sulphate is sometimes converted into barium chloride in the following manner: finely-ground barium sulphate is heated with coal and manganese chloride (the residue from the manufacture of chlorine). The mass becomes semi-liquid, and when it evolves carbonic oxide the heating is stopped. The following double decompositions proceed during this operation: first the carbon takes up the oxygen from the barium sulphate, and gives sulphide, BaS, which enters into double decomposition with the chloride of manganese, MnCl2, forming manganese sulphide, MnS, which is insoluble in water, and soluble barium chloride. This solution is easily obtained pure because many foreign impurities, such as iron, remain in the insoluble portion with the manganese. The solution of barium chloride is chiefly used for the preparation of barium sulphate, which is precipitated by sulphuric acid, by which means barium sulphate is re-formed as a powder. This salt is characterised by the fact that it is unacted on by the majority of chemical reagents, is insoluble in water, and is not dissolved by acids. Owing to this, artificial barium sulphate forms a permanent white paint which is used instead of (and mixed with) white lead, and has been termed ‘blanc fixé’ or ‘permanent white.’

The solution of one part of calcium chloride at 20° requires 1·36 part of water, the solution of one part of strontium chloride requires 1·88 part of water at the same temperature, and the solution of barium chloride 2·88 parts of water. The solubility of the bromides and iodides varies in the same proportion. The chlorides of barium and strontium crystallise out from solution with great ease in combination with water; they form BaCl₂,2H₂O and SrCl₂,6H₂O. The latter (which separates out at 40°) resembles the salts of Ca and Mg in composition, and Étard (1892) obtained SrCl₂,2H₂O from solutions at 90–130°. We may also observe that the crystallo-hydrates BaBr₂,H₂O and BaI₂,7H₂O are known.