The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1904-07-19
A PLATINUM FAMINE.
Very Small Amount Was Mined
Last Year.
Found Only In SMALL GIisteninG Gren'
uIes at Rare Observation-Disclosures
ing Facts from ITS
history.

Authorities disagree as to the correct
time when platina was first discovered,
says the News, Berlin, Conn. That 1t
was known to the ancient nations there
can be little doubt Some authorities
declare that II figured In the early his
tory Of the world and was one Of the
component parts used in tempering cop
per, and that It contributed to the
Damascus blade that has been the theme
of speculation for centuries. The Span
iards knew of its great utility and gave
It's name "Platina." (little silver on ac-
count OF its resemblance to silver in ap-
pearance and color. For several hun
dred years the Spanish alchemists,
knowing It's strong affinity to alloy with
gold, and fearing its peculiar fusion
qualities retarded its powers, and veiled
its value and production in accordance
with the bigotry that ruled that nation
during the centuries when its vessels
ploughed every sea and its discovererf
left trails Of disaster and ruin in the mad
Eearch for gold and conquest.
AS time rocked the cradle Of events
the sunlight Of truth dispelled the fogs
of ignorance and new era began amid
he ruins of the most lamentable fail
ire in history for Spanish supremacy
To the most careful reading of history
the authorities now generally agree that
platinum, as II is now called, had
modern definite discovery as q useful
metal about the year 1741.
Sir Charles Wood, fnssay master at
Jamaica, in testing the ores obtained
from the abandoned Spanish mines OF
Cho0o in Peru noted that strange pecul-
lar metal 1t was not fully described as
a distinct metal until 1746 and since that
time plantinum has occupied position
az the noblest Of the precious metals. 1t
is an astonishing fact that with all the
material advancement that has been ac-
complished In the world the supply of
platinum has remained obscure and
practically unknown to the general
public
Platinum 10 associated with and COM
posed OF iridium, rhodihm, palladium,
osmium and ruthenium. These are
called the family group to platinum.
iridium is a great medicine and ranks
with radium.
Wallaston separated the platinum
family and opened up the keen discov-
cry that unearthed the rare qualities
Of these rare and precious metals.
Ninety-seven per cent. of all the plati-
Ar L.
from the Ural mountains of Russia.
They are transported AZ miles by horse
and cart to the railroad, thence 2.20o
miles by steam cars to st. Petersburg,
and there treated and smelted under
the watchful eye Of the Russian gov
ernment.
II Is worthy Of especial attention to
,ote that less than 5000 pounds troy
weight was mined In the entire world
during the year 1902, and that plati-
mum famine exists. Tho demand is
constantly increasing but the supply
Is not increasing
Platinum is only found in the native
state occurring In small glistening
yranules of steel gray color. which
always contain an admixture in vary
ing proportions Of the family group
Platinum alloys easily with other met
ais, for 1t is the supreme king OF all.
In geological conditions II was Gre
ated at the close of the Devonian era
and outranks in age. splendor and COM
mercial uses all other known metals OF
earth. Its iridium and osmium are
destined to become the worlds benefac-
tors In medicinal properties. Is II any
wonder that platinum is worth moro
than gold and that Russia selfshly wells
it's production!