The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1902-11-05
PLATINUM VERY SCARCE.
Needed In Electrical Work, supply Does
Not Meet l. einnud.


good deal of concern has been cx-
pressed in the last year or so on the
subject of platinum. and the source of
production to meet the growing de-
mand. II Is beyond doubt that the
supply is not increasing-if it is in
creasing at all-at anything like the
same rate ~ the consumption: and II
this position is not rectiiied and the
balance rcadiusted II Is cagy 10 fOresCe
time whom enterprises which depend
upon platinum will languish for want
oi the material which 1t will be inn
possible to secure in adequate quanti-
ties, even at famine prices. Legislation
IN the reichstag of the fatherland has
a way of being grandfatherly at times.
but In the circumstances there is much
TO be said for the bill which was under
consideration not long ago with the
object of obtaining a legal prohibition
of the use of platinum where 1t could
I've replaced without serious inconven-
| ience by some other metal and to lin
| IL its consumption to cases where its
employment Is essential.
II is not easy to see how such an en-
actment as this could be enforced
strictly, hut, in the abstract, the meas
ure was undoubtedly wise: besides, the
restricted use of platinum in one coun-
try would go very little way to reme-
| dy situation that Is becoming acute
| il all manufacturing countries. For
the metal Is in great request in the
| mn ~ IN fn npt nf
and for electrical engineering gen
orally, as well as for numerous other
purposes for whicE no effective sub
stitute has been found. There Is no
good reason to anticipate an actual ex-
haustion of supplies, but the fear is
that. mainly with the progress of cleo
tricity. the gulf between demand and
supply may become wider and wider.
Something like 95 percent of last
years production of 1880 pounds, as
compared with 1880 pounds for 1900,
came from Russia and while 1t Is prob
able that scientific exploitation of the
whole of the Urals would lead to the
discovery of other sources Of supply
II is pretty clear that in the govern
|
is being made in spite of the profitable
ness of the industry. Perhaps the
sparseness of the distribution accounts
largely ior tins. The metal Is OBJ
tanned from alluvial deposits or up to
four to five zolotniks tthe zolotnik il
eQua platinum-bearing sands, which
frequently include gold and which vary
Ia, 30, f.,,,, N,. GtsA
lotniks, the zolotnik is equal to Gt
grains Troy, and more in 100 pools oil
sand, 1910 pounds).
The thickness of the beds ranges
irCm three feet to seven feet The
grains of metal are small in size, bu
sometimes nuggets weighing kilo
gram or more are unearthed. Tht
platinum Is often accompanied by
other rare metals. such as iridium ant
oSsium. j; is sent to st. Petersburg
in the crude state, and although there
are redneries in that city, very littl,
is dealt with there, and, as the demand
for the METAL is almost entirely from
abroad, the bulk is exported as it /,
received from the mines.
we nave Deen tOlu To lOOk TO New
South Wales as an important source o
supply, end probably with scientific
exploitation. the Investment OF a req
sonable amount of capital and the dl
version of miners from gold seeking
that colony would be of use in supply
ing the worlds requirements. tn
metal there is obtained chiefly from tn
Fifleld district, about 1922 miles ives
Of Sydney where 1t is found associates
with gold. Here the principal work
ines are at Platina. township situate
about two miles from that of Fifeld
a deep alluvial lead" containing plat
mum and gold. extending from nea
the former place for over mile Il
length ami varying from 60 feet to Is
feet In width.-Engineering