Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-11-09

fined. It includes lancaster York and
Chesterfield counties, in South Caroli-
ma, and Union county and eastern
Mecklenburg in North Carolina.
The year before the civil war began
there were forty mines In active opera
ticn In South Carolina, and about the
same number in North Carolina. There
were then twenty-one working mines
in Chesterfield and Lancaster counties,
and nineteen in Spartanburg, Union
and York
With proper development and unlim-
tied capital there is every reason to
believe that the mines of the Piedmont
region win ultimately rival those Of the
western states and that this region
will be known some time as the new
Eldorado.
Demand For Platinum.
The ever er-increasing demand for
platinum, coupled with conditions
which have greatly reduced the output
of the Russian mines is directly res
ponsible for phenominal rise In the
price of the metal and indirectly for an
increase Of production in this country.
North Carolina is one of the four east
ern states where nuggets have been
found, the other three being New York,
Pennsylvania and Georgia.
The yield of the Russian platinum
placers, which generally supply 80 per
cent Of the worlds supply, has been
reduced by the unsettled condition of
affairs in that country. The anxiety
felt by platinum dealers during the
Japanese Russian war has not abated
since the settlement Of international
affairs, but, II anything, has increased,
owing to the internal troubles which
Russia is experiencing. Many small
mines which are not hampered by
agreements as to the price Of their out
put are working to their full capacity
to take advantage Of the stimulated
prices; but their entire supply Is but a
small percentage of what Is usually
produced.
At present ingot platinum is quoted
in New York at $34 per ounce.
The exhaustive tests and examina-
tions Of black sands commenced early
In 1905 and still is being carried on In
the western states, have done much to-
ward placing platinum mining In this
country upon a stable footing and de-
veloping 1t into a permanent and pro-
fitable industry. Not only have many
discoveries of this metal in new local
tiles been made. but the tests have re-
vealed the fact that there are in this
country districts which contain sur
prising Quantities Of 1t.
Found In This State.
While the western states are the
only ones producing this metal to any
extent, there are exceptions to be found
with reference to North Carolina, New
York, Pennsylvania and Georgia. The
metals are obtained In most cases as
a by-product in working gold placers.
In more instances 1t is found In veins,
generally associated with the copper
sulphides, as in the Rambler mine, Wy
oming, and in North Carolina. The
total production last year Is reported
at 31S ounces, valued at $3.50. as
against 200 ounces. valued at $4,16O,
In 1904.
The imports Of platinum during 1905
were valued at s2.173,26S, as against
$1,s79,155 In 1904, an increase IN value
Of $294,1OS.
On account Of its many valuable
physical and chemical properties plat
mum has a diversity Of uses. It's prin-
cipal consumption Is in the chemical
and electrical Industries. In the for
mer 1t Is used as dishes, crucibles,
cones, anodes, cathodes, retorts. trian-
giles, foil, wire etc., and as reagent,
especially as platinic chloride. In elec-
:rical appliances 1t finds a number OF
uses. 1t Is employed in incandescent
lamps, in electric furnaces, In instru-
ments for the measurement Of electri-
cal quantities, and as contacts and at
tachments in electrical machines OF al
most every description. Besides these
uses, coins have been made OF the
metal, and in photography, dentistry,
in the manufacture Of surgical instru-
ments. in the manufacture Of jewelry,
and in other Industries, its further
use Is only limited by its supply.