The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-11-29
Shirt HisrrIlunlI.
MORE PRECIOTS
THAN GOLD

Just now there i no me al so eener-
ally esteemed as is god, but there are
variety of metals more precious,
reckoned in dollars and cents alth ugh
their intrinsic worth is vas ~ less.
The most expensive Of these superior
metals is an obscure one, unknown
to fame by name gallium. 1t belongs
10 the same group as does tin, and IS
worth exac'ly ten times what gold IS
worth per ounce. In is not used to
any extent for any purpose, and 1t Is
secured by the deposit caused II Ger
tam chemic al operations primarily tor
other purposes. Gold is worth $40
per ounce, gallum $500.
Thurium closely resembles PABLO
dunn, but, while the later is worth
only IS per ounce, its twin, thurlum
is sold for $3.50 per ounce.
Vanadium Games in black powder
and is one of the hardest me ais to
.!u.s !!ss:~ 1t is of little use in a ISOLATION
with O her metals, because cheaper
metals secure the same results that its
use woul give. Its price SIS per
ounce.
Most of thes, met,ls are show IN
powder form, beca s, they are obtain
ed in that form. 1t is difficult oft II
to obtain them in globules becans :
they deco npose very qulkiy when ex-
posed to Their air. If kept in lump
they are usually preserved in kero-
Senn.
Germanium. closely resembling tin
as it does is, nevertheless, S95 per
ounce, and is one Of the most es-
pensive metals used to any ext Mt.
Rubidium is Of a greenlsh gray APP
pearance and cone us IA powder. Its
value is SSS per ounce.
BervlIlum, which resembles LEAD, is
worth $50 per ounce.
Santatum is gray mass, very much
like rubidium. It's value is So per
ounce. although at wholesale it would
be trifle cheaper. One can hardly
speak of these metals as merchandise,
however, as they are rarely sold save
lis specimens or for unusual expert
mems.
Ca cium is of course, we'll known.
1t comes in white powder, and is
more readily melted than many of the
others. 1t belongs to the ALUMINIUM
family, and is worth $50 per ounce.
Indium is very dal k, is keptin kero-
sene. 1t is worth $72 per ounce.
Didymium, when collected, IS a
light gray or dove color. When melted
it is one of TIE whitish gray metals.
1t is wo th $72 per ounce.
Lithium also is kept under kerosene
to prevent oxidation, since. from con-
tract with the air, it at once becomes
and oxide and is wasted. In appearance
1t is black mass, and it is so light
that its specific gravity is only about
76. Its value is SOL per ounce.
Erbium is much like cerium, Of a
blush gray color, but, when melted in
globules, its real color is gray. 1t, too
belongs to the aluminium group, and
it is worth $62 pei ounce.
Ruthenium is Il black powder in
appearance and exceedingly difficult
to melt. 1t is worth $l4 per ounce.
Cerium is browni,h green mass in
appearance, but in reality is white
metal belonging to the aluminium
family. Its value is $40 per ounce.
Srontium Is kept in kerosene to
prevent oxidation. 1t is dan k-gray in
color before melting, but after it is
light gray. lis price is $40 per ounce.
Rhodlum Is another metal very
difficult to melt. 1t is dark metal,
very little used because it is next to
impossible to absorb it. It's value is
40 per ounce.
Zirconium comes in flat thin, gravish
blue crystals and is wor 40 dollars
per ounce.
Barium is KEEP in kerosene. In
color i. is silver white, and its price is
80 per ounce.
l5orium comes in fine, grayish block
crystals, and is very hard. The crystals
much resemble emery in appearance.
but borium will dissolve IN hot alumni
mum, while other metals of the same
hardness will not. 1t is worth rs dol
lars per ounce.
1t should be said in reference to
many of thecostlymetaIs that the reason
they are so difficult to melt or to COM
bine with other metals Is that they
oldize 50 quickly when exposed to
air thai, IN being placed in a crucible,
great care must be used, and the
chemical combinations necessary to
secure safety are not easy.-Neo York
Uerula.