The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-04
MORE VALUABLE THAN GOLD.
THOUSANDS or DOLLARS WASTED
BE MINERS OF WARRINGTON.
The supply OF PIasinan Constantly
Crows Less and the Price AppFe-
cfate.-BeIieved to Exist In Large
Quantities In the western Mines.

C. o. Baker, IT., an Eastern refiner OF
platinum and other precious metals, De /.
neyes that thousands Of dollars are wasted
every year by the miners OF Washington
He says that platinum. which IL growing
more valuable than gold, In all probability
exists In the placer mines OF TINS state
and that the miners, who. through iSnor-
ance OF the characteristics or value OF the
metal. fail 10 save 1t, are throwing money
TO the birds.
Mr.. Baker 10 the head OF one of the larg-
est platipum refining companies IN the
world The firm name Is Baker h Co..
and their business was established many
years ago by Mr.. Bakers father. Tnear
plant Is located at Newark. n. y. ar.
Baker arrived in Seattle THURSDAY. ana
with his wife. IL a guest at the Rainier
Grand. Ills business on the Pacific coast
Is to awaken an interest IN platinum
among mining men and TO post them, 50
far as 1t lies in his power, with the great
value of the metal. He hopes to stimu-
late its production, not only that the pres
ent large and growing demand in ali the
sciences for the metal may be met. but
that some Day the platinum workers OF the
United States may be able to buy from
the American miner that which they are
now compelled TO purchase almost exciu-
siveiy from Russia
pure platinum is now worth almost as
much as gold" said Mr.. Baker last night.
THE market price today for the pure
metal is SlA per ounce. Five years ago
II could be purchased in the markets OF
the world for s. per ounce. 80 you see that
il has gained IN that time about as per
cent. in value. 1t Is constantly Appreciat-
ing in value, and unless new sources or
supply are found l expect to see platinum
quoted higher than gold
The uses Of platinum are numerous ana
varied. As you probably know, II is per-
haps in greatest demand in electrical APP
paratus and workings. For incandescent
lights it is absolutely essential. 1t is also
greatly in demand in the arts and SCI
ences and one Of the late chemicals
which we owe TO platinum is Of immense
value to that recent discovery In electri-
cal science-the Roentgen ray. 1t Is
barium platino-cyanide salt that, thrown
on the screen, make II fluorescent I'M
der the X-ray, enabling the light to pene-
trate the most solid of substances. 1t Is
true that tungstate OF calcium, cheaper
compound, is generally used In X-rays de-
monstrations, but with the salt l have
named better effects can be secured. and
really the most intricate and difficult oper-
atoms demand Ii.
AT present the platinum workers of the
whole world are dependent solely upon
Russia for this extremely precious metal.
Small quantities have been received from
the west coast OF South America, and
there Is also some in Oregon and Califor-
MIA. But no great amount or the metal
has ever been found on this continent.
Platinum - usua iy found In conjunction
with placer gold, ard ] am informed and
believe that where platinum exists In the
placer mines of the West Ii is lost by the
miners, who are either unacquainted with
its characteristics and properties, or else
are Ignorant OF its value.
Contrary to popular impression, piati-
mum and associated metals are widely dis
tributed, although they have thus far been
found In paying quantities in but few To-
caities This condition is cue perhaps TO
the higher value OF gold and 10 the limited
acquaintance OF prospectors and miners
wi.h the means Of identifying platinum ore,
and OF its economic separation. The plati-
mum of commerce is obtained entirely from
aIluvial deposits. Eighty per cent. OF the
present supply. is derived from the Ural
mountains but there are but few OF the
gold-bearing gravel beds of the world
that have failed to yield platinum.
I'm rs natural form platinum Is usually
found In rounded or fiattened grains or
sand. and occasionally In humps OF the size
OF a pea. The largest nugget of platinum
that has ever been found in this hemis-
There weighs twenty-five ounces and
Nr. Baker pulled from his pocket the iden-
teal nugget, which is intrins!cally worth
a trif. over 800 tut as specimen is wall
ued at a much larger figure.
I'm Russia" he continued, "the plati-
mum bearing sand IL found at depths rang
ing between six and forty feet. the pay
streak averaging less than foot In depth.
resting on eerpentine bedrock. In New
South Wales the pay streak is from sixty
to $50 feet wide and underlies ioam bed
sixty 10 seventy feet deep. the ore occur
tsng In the creviees OF the bedrock and in
the gravel resting thereon.
1.-THE method generally adopted for ex-
tracing tie ore is to pass the sand ana
gravel with water through pudding ma
chimes or revolving conical screens; the
platinum and fine sand pass through into
siuice boxes beneath, while the coarser ma
ter.als are discharged at one side. The
contents of the sluice boxes are washed IN
the usual manner. and when gold Is pres
ent I'm paving quantities 10 is removed by
amalgamation with mercury, the platinum
remaining behind. Experience shows that
II IL seldom profitable to work mines yield
ing less than three grams OF platinum ore
tn the ton OF gravel. The average Yield OF
tia richest Russian mines Is about SIX
grams per ton"
MIR. Baker. in speaking OF the wonderful
hardness OF platinum, said that at the
works OF his company wire was made ONE
thouSaneth OF an inch In diameter, OF one
seventh the diameter OF hair.
Mr.. Baker was asked IL he believed thar
platinum exists tn the gold fields OF Alaska
and the Northwest territory. He said that
ne did. and that efforts would be made 10
ascertain 10 what extent the ore ts found