The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-04-19
COMMERCIAL PLATINUM.
Especial Correspondence


Washington, D. c., April 11.-Plat-
mum is one of the metals diligently
searched for by man, but with only
moderate success. Montana is con-
sidered one of the most hopeful fields
for this rare and highly valuable min
eral. In a report just prepared for
the United States Geological survey,
logical Relations and Distribution of
Platinum and Associated Metals" He
sets forth the chemical relations of
platinum; it's minerals and their
chemical composition; the other min
erals associated with it, either as
constituent parts of the nuggets
found, or accompanying it in gravel
deposits; the occurrence of platinum
in country rock, and in copper ores
of various countries; the occurrence
of platinum in Australian coal, in
meteorites, and finally in the sun.
He then passes in review the local
tiles where platinum has been dis
covered. Beginning with North Amer
ica, he notices the occurrence of
traces of small quantities of platinum
found in Quebec, in the form of sper-
rylite in Ontario, and describes at
length the occurrence of platinum in
commercial quantities in British Col
umbla, ON the Tulameen fork of the
Similkameen river, in the region of
the town of Princeton, some thirty
or forty miles north of the interna-
tional boundary line on the east side
of the Cascade mountains.
The area of chief interest is in the
valley of Slate creek and along the
Tulameen river below it's tributary
of Eagle creek.
Turning to the United States, he
reports the occurrence of platinum in
small quantities in gold sand of Cal
ifornia and Oregon, and notes the ac-
tual or the reported occurrence of
the metal in Arizona, Colorado, Geor-
gia, Idaho, Montana, New York,
North Carolina and Pennsylvania
He notes also the reported occur
renee of platinum in Mexico, Hon
duras and Santo Domingo, and it's re-
He discusses the placer deposits of
Colombia in the FL Choco district on
the San Juan river, in the western
watershed. Colombia now ranks as
the second producer of commercial
platinum.
A few scales of platinum have been
discovered in gold bearing sands at
Ollalipian, in Siebenburgen, Austria.
In France, also, platinum is occasion
ally seen at Morbihan, in Brittany:
at Gard, in Cevennes; in several To-
calities in the departments of Cha
rente and Deux-Sevres; on the Cha,
peau mountain, near Chatelard, Haul
ties Alpes; near Presles, in Savoy;
and in few other places.
In Germany. it is reported in the
Hartz mountains, from the Siebenge-
birge, and from Freiberg.
In Great Britain, a few grains of
platinum have been observed in the
gold bearing sands of Wicklow, Ire,
land; on the island of Jersey; and in
the sands of the river Urr, Kirkcud-
brightshire.
None of these sources furnish COM
mercial platinum.
Nearly all the commercial platinum
comes from Russia, where the pro-
ductive districts lie along the east
ern watershed of the Urals, in the
eastern portion of Perm. in Kasan.
and on the western watershed farther
south. A few years ago the greater
part of the platinum came from the
district of Nijni-Tagilck, nearly due
east from the city of Perm; but now
the largest supply is obtained in the
Goroblagodat Bisersk districts, about
$50 miles farther north and northeast
of the town OF Nijni-Tagilsk. From
the watershed of the Urals, two small
rivers, the Iss and the Vega, flow
eastward and join the Tura river,
and the productive platinum ground