Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-16

Prospects Reg arded Hopefully, but Not With
Confidence, by Experts.

| Confidence, by Experts.
| WHERE THE BULK OF THE WORLDS TIN PRODUCT
| COMES FEoM-rUE GREAT PLATINUM MINES N
RUSSIA AND THE PRECIOUS GEMS FOUND THERE
| ALUMINIUM AND ITS USES.
EXPERTS ATTACHED TO THE GEO.
~ logical survey regard the prospects for
American tin hopefully, but not with conf
dence. There ia plenty of that metal all over
the United Statesmen only in Dakota, Cali
fornia and Virginia, where millions Of money
are being expended in preparing to mine for
it, but also in Montana, Wyoming, Maine, Yer
mont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts,, along
the Hudson and elsewhere. Wherever coarse
granite exists the industrious prospector will
| find this valuable metal. But the difficulty
is to get it out at a small enough cost to COM
pete with the foreign product.
Two-thirds of tho tin produced at present in
| the world comes from the Straits OF Malacca.
The backbone Of the Malay peninsula is a gran
lite range OF mountains containing the same
formation as that Of the Black Hills in Oak ota,
with irregular veins of coarse rock that holds
oxide OF tin. Severe rains. accompanied by
tremendous tornadoes, are characteristic of the
climate in that region. They wash away the
substance OF the hills, which is carried toward
the Sea by the rivers, the tin being dropped on
| the way because it is heavy. This has been go
| ing on for ages, and in the dry channels where
streams formerly flowed the mining is done for
the metal. which is found in little round mug
gets like shot OF different sizes. These nuggets
are separated from the gravels by the crudest
conceivable methods Of washing and sent 10
Singapore for shipment to various parts OF the
world.
Competition with this foreign product is
beset with difficulties. In the region of the
Malacca straits the mining of the metal is
chiefly done by the climate. The hydraulic
engines of the skies get thestin out of the
mountains in pure oxide and deposit it in
beds near the coast, all ready to be dug up and
sent to market. In the United States the COM
panies engaged in the enterprise must go up
into the hills, break out the ore by means Of
artificial freshets, and stamp out and wash
away the waste material, paving $3.50 day
for labor. On the Malay peninsula wages are
81. 50 q month.
PLATINUM MINES IN RUSSIA.
Mr.. George +. kunZ, en- expert in gems
was In Washington last week, having just
returned from the famous platinum mines at
NlsJno-1agllsk. on the eastern coast of European
Russia, where he went for the purpose of pro-
curing precious stones, such are dug up in
great numbers and of many sorts from the
placer workings. Very nearly all OF the worlds
supply OF that precious metal comes from this
nelghborhood, where it is found in the gravels
which have been washed down during centuries
past from the Ural mountains. 1t is procured
by scooping out holes in tho ground to the
depth OF about fifteen feet, where pay dirt'
Is struck, and then burrowing rat fashion in all
directions. Twenty-nine hundred cart loads of
earth must be washed to yield fifteen pounds
OF metallic treasure. In summer the gravel is
stacked up in great heaps, and in winter. when
mining cannot be carried on. the stuff is washed
out in primitive mills women dong most of
the work. To find nugget of any size is
very rare occurrence. the biggest on record
being about the size of tumbler. 1t is now
on exhibition at the Dresden Museum.
Precious stones being heavy naturally find
their way to the bottom of the surface gravel
together with the platinum. and thus they are
dug out with the dirt which carries the metal.
1t Is for the same reason that gems are apt to
be discovered where gold is mined. as is the
case with the new sapphlres i'll Montana. I'm
fortunately for these sapplires they are not
the usual color. Although real ones instead
OF being true blue they are of various tints,
such as green, greenish blue, greenish brown,
greenish yellow and even pure white. Thus it
| seems probable that the syndicate which is in
vesting millions of dollars in them will lose its
money for want of a market. Among the semi
precious stones obtained from the platinum
placers described wonderful quartz
crystals the carving of which into the shape
OF nautilus shells and other forms Is performed
with marvellous art in Russia.
Much difficulty was experienced by Mr.. Kunz
IN securing admission to the mines, because
the Russian authorities have become excess
slvely cautious respecting strangers since Mr.
hennans visit. Any foreigner caught sketch
lnG Is peremptorlly given certain number of
hours to leave the country. The workings at
Nlsjne-Iagiisk let out by government
concession to Prince Demidoff. Outside miners
are permitted to dig on their own account, but
they are obliged, under penalty. to sell what
they get to the proprietary concern. Two
wears great syndicate hnupht mr. tba
entire product of these mines for some time
ahead aud set out to purchase all the
scrap platinum existing il. she world. But
there proved to be more Of the latter
than had been counted upon, and SO it was
found impossible to control the market. Con-
sequently after going up from 50 to SIS an
ounce, platinum has now sunk to I'll an ounce.
This metallic substance has never been found
IN the rocks, where 1t originally existed-in
stu, as biologists say-except in the COPPER
mines OF Canada, where it was discovered a
short time ago in very small quantities and in
an entirely new combination, being mixed
with arsenic.
VALUE OF ALUMINIUM.
The attention Of the world has for some time
past been directed more anxiOusly to aluminium
than to any other metal. White as silver, lighter
than glass, untarnishable as gold, ductile as
lead and harder than ste ell, with tensile strength
uucGUaled this substance seems to be adapta-
bic to all the uses to which its rivals collectively
are put with none of their disadvantages. Ac-
cordingy great hopes have been entertained of
its future usefulness. depending apparently for
their realization only upon the cLeapening of
the processes for its production. Inasmuch as
1t Is reckoned that z per cent of the earth's
crust is aluminium, there is evidently O plenti-
full supply, the sole difficulty being to separate
it from other elements with which it is COM
bined in nature.
When 1t was announced year ago that the
cost OF producing aluminium had been reduced
to 30 cents a pound 1t was felt to be getting
within reach for ordinary commercial uses, TO
many OF which it has many already applied.
Within the last few weeks the expense of obtain
ing 1t in pure state has been broug down to IS
cents pound, and it is stated authoritatiyely
that within two years % cents a pound will be
the figure. 1t will not ever go much below that
in all probability, SO the chemists say.
All the aluminium made in this country at
present is brought from Greenland originally
in the shape OF of rock that looks like alum
called 'cryolite. There is a company in PhiIa-
deiphia which has for years past been sending
to that region vessels built expressly for that
purpose and OF great strength to fetch back
cargoes OF this mineral. From it the concern
manufactures soda in enormous Quantities for
washing and cooking purposes. After having
extracted the soda there is left over n sub
stance which chemists term oxide OF aluminium.
and from this waste material the metal is OBJ
tanned.
THE CRYoLITE IN GREENLAND,
The cryolite is dug out of the ground in
&c. 49,