The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-06
HARDER THAN A DIAMOND.
French Chemists Discovery of IL
New Kind of CrystaI

Henri Moissan, the distinguished French
chemist, who created a sensation few years
ago by producing small white diamonds in
MS electric furnace, is now credited with an
other Interesting achievement. This later
piece OF work while perhaps not quite so
startling as the other, will probably prove
OF more practical benefit TO mankind, and
hence source Of greater revenue to Nj.
Moissan.
Hitherto the diamond has been considered
the hardest thing in nature. The closest ap-
proach TO 1t, until recently made by the
ruby something halfway between them, In
THIS respect, was discovered only two or three
years ago by E. c. Acheson, of Pittshurg
who was experimenting with an electric fur
mace for an entirely different purpose He
too was trying to make artificial jewels and
succeeded III getting lot Of small crystals
Whlch were neither diamonds nor rubies, but
were harder than the latter. They were com
posed OF slXty-nine parts of silica and thirty
one parts of carbon. Technically the sub
stance is carbide of silicon The dis
coVerer however, gave to it the name Of
carporundum, and is now manufacturing
about two tons of it daily at Niagara Falls
Tor commercial purposes. 1t is used for the
same purpose emery.
MolssanS new product is a carbide of the
rare metal titanium. The proper materials
having been deposited in small ,,ucibIe
mace OF lime, an electric current OF large
volume and low voltage is turned on a tenn
Peidture or 4,O0O or 1900 degrees Fahren-
nett is Developed, and then the stuff is allowed
h fo cool hna hhe resulting crystals are said to
the second place. Carborundum comes next,
ana the ruby drops to fourth rank
, Inc carbide of titanium is as much harder
tnan carborundum as carborundum is harder
tnan emery. The latter two are only good for
ABRASIVE service; that is, they are employed
only Tor grinding and polishing other very
nara substances. 1t Is probable that carbide
OF ttanlum Will have much more extensive
use. Ihere are many rock-cutting drills
Whlch consist of tube In one edge of which
are EMBEDDED brown or black diamonds
NJ Mo1ssan's new product will be both cheap
er ana more efficient than these. 1t may also
be substituted for real jewels in watches
uehcate balances, and in other mechanism
where small bits Of particularly hard material
are needed as bearings. The dlscoverer has
applied for patents his invention in this
country as we'll as Europe, and it is thought
probable that the French academy will award
him certain $40 GOO prize offered some time
ago for a satisfactory substitute for black
diamonds.
Titanium, when pure, is white and about
half as heavy as iron. 1t is almost impossible
to buy any because there is no demand and
consequently no production. However, 1t is not
so very scarce. An oxide of titanium found
in the form of small black stones that give
red mark, is picked up in some newly
p.oughed fields in Pennsylvania, and sells for
81 pound The metal is frequently found in
combination with iron. but has hitherto been
regarded a nuisance because it renders
ore refractory. A recent writer says: "Mil-
lions of tons of iron ore in Virginia and New
York are made worthless by the presence of
or 6 per cent of titanium.''