New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-06
EXAMINATIONS FROM ACTINIUM.
The Result of Recent Experiments by George
F. Kunz-Its Radio-Ectivity.


Unusual interest attaches to the address delivered
before the Princeton Chemical Society day two
ago by George F. Kunz. vice-president OF the
American Institute OF Mining Engineers. on the
subject Of his recent experiments with the exceed
ingIy rare and hitherto all but UnObtainabls els-
ment, actinium
The result OF these experiments Is now presented
to Tribune readers for the first time.
This actniuu experimental on says Mr. Kuns.
was preparation of the oxide. with activity
Of 10000 uranium being taken as unity. pre-
pared by Dr. Debierne and sent to through
the courtesy Of Professor P. Curie. The emana-
tons from il seemed most profuse, and although Il
had been exposed for two weeks in paper pack
age. yet they were energetic at the time OF It's
arrival and one week after they could have been
at any time. The substance Is wonderfully radio
active. In the few experiments that have made
upon it found that. like radiurn 1t causes the dia-
mond to phosphOresce. and exerts the same action
as radum upon wiIemite and kunzite, with the
possible exception that the emanations from the
small quantity OF the substance seemed to become
luminous before they touched the willemite itself
The surface affected measured two square inches
many times the surface of the actiniu- The effect
produced on wlemite was somewhat different from
that due TO radium. The luIninescence apparently
penetrated the willemite. and the same time it
almost seemed as if luminous eInanaton left the
material
1T was also found. on applying some powdered
and graduated willemite TO the inside Of closed
Jar twelve centimetres high. and placing this over
the actinium. which in a paper. that the era-
nations made luminous the entire interior OF the
jar.
"On the other hand. they 90 not appear to pos
sess the penetrating power through glass that the
radjqm so gg +, show for in The same expert
side Of the jar although the glass was only ons
"A platinum bariUm-cyanide screen Immediately
responded when the actintum was held against the
rtis d 9 ye seemed To- be it's
o "
Cure mentions IN his letters is the emission
This feature Of endurance was not observed On
the other hand pecuharlty or acunlum, as COM
pared with Tadium, Is that the emanatOns. al
though more prCfuse, disappear in a few seconds.
Another marked feature is certain visibility or
nateriahty or the tnlanatlons rms mas already
been referred TO in some OF the experiments above
nhdrsscer+ sEI1bide Of gI7c (Si10tss bIaHfa,V rs
spc-eea Will become Illuminated and on slightly
light is carried along the screen with the ersana1
tons. I found that the diamond affected quite
permanently as with radium; 50 was the spotu-
more than two inches square. Emana tons OF thu
actinlun. which was in double paper. rose IN a
cone-snaped form, ara spread out IN an inverted
cone on the base OF the wtlemiEe Illuminating
Concerning the Developments regarding the much
discussed radluTn and uranium, Mr. kunz said yes
Professor Alexander Hamilton Phillips profess
scr Of chemistry az Princeton University. has
amined quantity OF Carnotite. ore % uranium,
NM COMPANY of Burfeio which is ~ present en-
Professor Phillips analysed TWENTY-FIVE Do onds Ot
the Colorado mineral. and obtained from 10 one
erom u radium-b arium chloride OF an activity OF
i5Ca He made photographs OF KEYS and other OBJ
1ectS. proving its actotc properties. The radio
activity finally detergQined by Professor
Adams. of the physical department. OF Princeton.
who measured the activity by means OF q Wilso-f
gold Leaf eectrC-neter, and else with the pth ballS
there being doubt TO tire activity being quite
ljA. Professor Phillips also stated that some OF
the radium said to have been extracted ~ inc
Buffalo people not radioactive, due possibly %
the fact that the radio activity was lost N IaS
chemical operations. It IS probable mat Sir VII
lam RaIas2y's Investigations were made by some
minerals separated By the Buffalo people. and
hence his conclusion that the American nlneraI
WIS not radioactive. when. in fact. the radio-ac-
tfvltv was lost as above stated. in the chemical
Opera riOps From Professor PhtllpSS results II
g evident that the radium from American radiunn-
bariuYa will not tmprob2oly De secured, ana
that in the very near future.
Mr. Kunz said that he himself had been able TO
rausa phOsphorescence in a l5-carRt diamond ny
means or a recent sample received from ths Welsh
I,Offtus Company,