Alloys'

[Fr. a loi, from L. ad legem, according to rule.] The name given to the mixtures which result from fusing different metals with each other. Both gold and silver when pure are too soft for the manufacture of plate, coin, or jewelry; but wheu mixed with a small percentage of copper, they are rendered harder and more durable, without suffering any lo in color. One of the most useful alloys in the arts is bra . It consists of zinc and copper, and the proportion of each metal in the compound is regulated to suit the quality of the bra required. Among the important alloys of copper and tin are (1) bronze, containing 90 parts of copper and 10 of tin (2) bell-metal, containing 80 parts of copper and 20 of tin; (3) speculum-metal, containing 67 parts of copper and 33 of tin. Type-metal varies somewhat in its composition one variety con¬ sists of 80 parts of lead and 20 of antimony. Aluminium-bronze and nickel-steel are important recent alloys. The alloys of other metals with mercury are termed amalgams, and the proce of amalgamation has long been employed in separ¬ ating fine gold from other materials.