Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-26
ALUMINIUM'S FUTURE.
Interesting Account of the New
Metals Rapid Advancement.
1T Is USEFUL, SOFT AND CHEAP
And Is Almost Destined to Rank Alongside
Iron and Steel.
TRIUMPH OF THE BUSY METALL,URGIST

Aluminium is fast taking the plac
among the metals of everyday life. On
OF the surest indications of this is that W
find it quoted on the commercial price list
along with tin, lead, zinc, copper and iron
The true meaning and Importance of suci
an incident is apt to be underes1mated b.
the general public, says q writer in tn
Chicago Inter Ocean
We all agree that a large part of tn
progress of civilization (with all that tina
term means) during the last half century
has been due to the splendid advances il
iron working, whereby this uniyesal meta
has been produced in undreamed of quantl
ties at unthought of prices. The comfort o
every inhabitaut of civilized countries ha,
been increased with these advances in tht
metallurgv of iron. Yet there are many
uses for which iron is unsuitable, and fol
which other metals are better suited. Cop
per, tin, lead, zinc, ETC., are used for
purposes for which iron is not SO well
adapted or not at all adapted.
The work of civilization and prog
ress is, therefore, distinctly forwarded by
artisans having a variety of metals to work
with adapted to widely varying purposes.
Each metal is used for certain purposes, be-
cause, all things considered, it is better
suited for these purposes than any other
metal The remarks concerning iron are,
therefore, true in a similar manner of other
metals. But, if progress is forwarded by
improvements in the production of we'll
known metals, what shall we say of the dis
covery and the introduction of new metal
in the worlds busy workshops? 1t is
really to put a new tool.into the hands of the
worlds workers, new factor to use in the
grand work of civilization, and all mankind
feels the benefit
The History Of Aluminium.
Aluminium comes, the fruit of the labors
of the metallurgist, handed over to industry
TO be put to use. 1t does not need to be re-
ceived with any favoritism, it ought not to
meet with prejudice against it. but the ques-
tion of putting it to use should be taken up
fairly and squarely. The plain question is,
"What uses can aluminium fill better than
anv other metal, all conditions being taken
into account" The experimental answer to
that question will fix the usefulness of
aluminium to the world
This new and beaueltul metal, discovered
by the German, Wohler, in 1927, and intro
duced to the world by the Frenchman, De-
vile, in 1856, has had short yet interesting
history. When first made in quantity by
Deville the world at once fell in love with
its latest acquisition. 1t was rightly re-
garded as a great achievement of science
and its future usefulness was mapped out
in glaring colors. With each decrease in
price mere numerous applications were
suggested, but very few made. In 1862
the metal was sold at S12 pound, but
many expectations had already been
disappointed aud its uses limited princi-
pally 10 articles of luxury. The trouble
was not SO much that aluminium itself had
been found lacking, but that its price was
too high for many prospective uses To
make bad worse, it was then found that
aluminium could not be made any cheaper
bv the Deville process. Then came an era
Of disappointment For % years the world
was in the tantalizing position of knowing
uses for tons of Alumni um if it could only
be had at a low price. After the rapid ad-
vancement in production and swift decline
in price, from 1856 to 1861, the subsequent
25 years dead level seemed to marx the
limit of the aluminium industry, and many
metallurgists had given up hope of any
great future for aluminium.
The Dawn of a New Era.
In 1S66-67 a new era dawned An inflow
of new and successful methods of produc-
tion reawakened hopes for the future Five
years of activity followed, the price dropped
rapidly, larger and still larger guam
titles were produced and more and more
utilized.
The first ripple of this tide of activity
was telt in 1886. when German manufact-
urer, said then to be producing aluminium
by electricity, lowered the selling price to
IS The next year an improvement in max
ing metallic sodium infused new life into
the Deville process, and Mr.. Castner sold
aluminium for S. In 1889 the electric
method received great impulse by the ap-
plication of Halls process, now in opera
uon on the banks of the Allegheny river
is miles above Pittsburg, and aluminium
was sold at 81, and in 1890 at 50 so pound
Processes similar to Halls were started
abroad, and wholesale reduction in prices
began. Sharp competition reduced the
price in 1891 to as low as so cents a pound,
at whlch figure there was really too little
profit to the makers, and this present wear
it has rebounded to 80 cents, which is the
present selling price for the ingot metal in
large quantities.
The present status of the aluminium in
dustry is unique. All the aluminium now
being made commercially is made by cleo
trical processes. The chemical method,
using sodium, is entirely superseded.
Further, it appears as if, after five years of
development, the electrical methods have
almost reached their limit.
The Cost of the Metal.
The method of passing an electric current
through molten bath of fuoride salts in
which aluminium oxide has been dissolved
is in theory one of the simplest processes
conceivable, and is in practice rapidly ap-
preaching perfection. Having the right |
principle TO work on, manufacturers trouble |
themselves very little about radically new
processes, and are putting all their atten-
tion to perfecting details of the present |
method. With cheaper aluminium oxide,
cheap power, and the decreasing cost of all |
minor items such as comes from working on |
a large scale, it is estimated, without ex-
that aluminium will be manu- |
in the near future at about % cents |
a pound. 1t costs at present between 40 |
and so cents.
We may almost surely expect aluminium |
to be selling again at so cents a pound |
inside of year, but it is probable that |
about this figure will limit its |
price for several years TO come. At this |
price aluminium is about on a par with |
copper, bulk for bulk. An aluminium and |
a copper rod of the same size would cost |
nearly the same. There are really at present |
only six metals selling cheaper by the pound |
than aluminium, viz, iron, lead, zinc, |
copper, tin, and antimony, which, if we |
compare the cost of equal bulks, only iron,
lead and zinc are materially cheaper.