The selenium and tellurium contents of sulphur from Krisuvik, Iceland

Extract

The deposits of sulphur at Krisuvik, Iceland, have long been known. They were described geologically in detail by Vincent who also discussed their probable origin, but gave no chemical analyses other than rough determinations of the percentages of sulphur and matrix in various samples. From the flame spectrum Vincent thought that thallium might be present.

Apart from popular descriptions by travellers and casual references in guide-books, little attention appears to have been given in literature to these deposits in more recent years. Sporadic attempts at working the sulphur economically were made by the Danish Government during the eighteenth century and later by a Danish merchant round 1832. These were abandoned, however, owing to cost of transport. There is little likelihood of their renewal in the immediate future unless the deposits are found to contain some other element(s) of sufficient market value.