New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-27
HIRDER THtN I DTiNOND.


\ TRENCH CHEMISTS DISCOVERY or \ MIN
KIND or CRYSTAL
uenri Moissan tho distinguished French
chemist who created a sensation a few years
ago hv producing small white dia uouG, in his
electric furnace. is now credited VITA another
interesting achievement This later piece Of
work while nerhaps not quite 50 startling as
the other. VIII probably prove OF more practical
benefit to mankind. and hence source Of great
e." revenue to NJ. Moissan.
Hitherto the diamond has boon considered
the hardest thing in nature. Tho closest APP
preach to ii, until recently. VAS MAD ~ tn"
ruby. Something halfway between Them. in
this respect. was dscoV nryd onl: twp OF three
years ago by l.. &. A"h son of pittSburg. who
was experimenting With IN cl"ctri, furnar" FOR
an entirely different purpose. II. too, vas try
ing TO make artificial Jewels AMI succeeded in
getting a lot of small crystals which verc
neither diamonds non ruhics but ,vcvc hard,r
than the latter. They were cpmpoS' or sixty -
nine parts OF silica and thirty -pno parts e. car
bon. Technically. the substance IS = carbide
OF silicon" The disCovcrcr. however. save TO
ii the name carhorundum AMI Is l.nw lunf.-
featuring about two tons Of il !IIlN at Mas ara
Falls for commercial purposes. Il is used Tor
the same purpose emory.
MoiSSans new product IL C9rbdc cf the
rare metal ttanium. Tho proper materials hay
ing been deposited in 4 small Cruciblc made of
iin". an electric current Of las" volume and
low voltage is turned on. a temperature If four
thousand or four thousand five hurdrrd der, IS
Fahrenheit is developed. aud then the stun =
allowed to cool Tho resulting; crystals ara said
70 he harder than diamonds. which now ts'.e
the second place. Carborundum comes next. aud
the ruby drops to the fourth rank
Tho carbide of ttanium is much hard I
than carborundum carborundum is harder
than emery. The latter two ara only good for
abrasive service; that is. they employed only
for grinding and polishing other very hald sub
stances. 1t is probable that carbide of titaniunl
nil nave u much more extensive use. There are
many rock-cutting drills which consist f Il tube.
in one edge of which imbeddcd brown or
black diamonds. NJ Moissan's ucW product Will
he both cheaper and more chici,lt than thoso
1t may also be substituted for raj jewels in
watches. delicate balances. and i'm other n, CHI
anism where small bits Of particularly hard
material are needed bearings. The di,ccv-
erer has applied for patents on his invention
in this country well as Europe and il is
/ thought probable that the French Academy
VIII award him certain 10000 prize Offered
some time ago for satisfactory substitute for
black diamonds.
Tltaniunl. when pure. is white ana about half
as heavy iron 1t is almost impossihl. to
buy any because there is demand. and con-
seiuently no production. However. il Is not 80
very scarce. An oxide of titaniun. found in
the form Of small black stones that civ. = rod
mark - picked up in some newly pIoughcd
fields in Pennsylvania, and sells for II a pound
me metal IS frequently found in combination
with iron. but has hitherto been REGARDED AZ =
nuisance. because it renders an orc refractory.
recent writer says: Millions of tons of iron
ore in Virginia and Ncw-York are mad, worth
less by the presence of or per cent Of IL
tanium."