Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-08-02
BY JOSEPH HYDE PRATT.

By JOSEPH HYDE PRATT.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
The North Carolina geological
and economical survey has, during
the past two or three weeks received
a great many letters regarding the
occurrence of cobalt in North Caro-
lima, and it has been thought that a
short article giving description Of
the occurrences of the cobalt and the
localities where it is known to occur
in North Carolina would be of in
terest.
Cobalt is a material that is very
similar to nickel and nearly all the
minerals in nature that contain one
of these metals contains also a small
percentage of the other There Is
great similarity between the two
metals and in the reduction of the
ores both the nickel and cobalt go
into the matter, which is afterwards
refined and the two metals separa-
rated from esch other. "On account
of the small demand for cobalt,
there has not been a great deal of
prospecting directly for deposits of
this metal; while on the other hand,
the demand for nickel has constantly
increased so that deposits of min
erals containing this metal have
been prospected for in many sections
of the country. Up to the past two
years all the cobalt has been OBJ
tanned in this country and Canada
has been as a by-product either in
nickel or lead mining and smelling,
and there has been no direct mining
for cobalt ores. Recently, however,
new sources of supply of cobalt ores
containing but little nickel has been
found in Canada, which have result
cd in the production of cobalt in
some quantity and this could be in
creased very largely if sufficient
demand for the metal could be
created. These deposits are along
the line of the Temiscuming &
Northern Ontario Railway. ninety
miles northeast of the town of Sun
bury, Canada. These cares carry
a considerable percentage of cobalt
and are rich in native silver, which
makes the ore very profitable min
ing.
Missouri Cobalt Ore.
In the United States the only CO.
bait ores that have been mined to
any extent are the lead ores at Min
La Motto, Mo, which contain con-
siderable percentage of cobalt and
very small quantity of nickel.
These are melted to a Stag contain
ing lead, nickel and cobalt, which
is afterwards refined. The princi-
pal use of cobalt which is in the
form of the oxide, is in manufacture
ing pigments, the principal one being
known as cobalt blue. With nickel,
however. the principal use has been
as a steel hardening metal and some
experiments have been made with
cobalt for this purpose. There is
not, however, a distinct enough
property of the two metals to war
rant the use of cobalt to any extent
as long as its cost is so much higher
than nickel If, however, a special
use can be devised for it. as has
been advocated By Mr.. Thomas Edi-
son, in the manufacture of storage
batteries, there should be a consid
cradle increase in the demand for
the metal, which would warrant
more prospecting for sources Of sup
ply, although the present known
sources of supplies of this metal
can satisfy very large increase in
the demand.
There are number OF minerals
that contain a considerable percent
age of cobalt, principally in the form
of sulphides, arsenides aYd oxides.
The principal minerals and the ones
more constantly met with in nature
are as follows:
Linnaeite: A pale, steel gray,
brittle mineral which furnishes quite
readily to a copper red color is as
hdi u do otcVl, htto a .'CCiHS toidNily
of about s; it is quite commonly
found in octaherval crystals, but
also occurs to massive. 1t Is a cobalt
sulphide containing sometimes a con-
siderable percentage of nickel. This
mineral is also known as cobalt
pyrites.
White Cobalt.
Cobalte: This mineral is a CO.
bait arsenic sulphide of silver gray
to steel gray color, sometimes with
/ a tinge OF red or violet. 1t is OF Il tin
/ white color and also massive, when
| the color is apt to change TO steel
gray or grayish color. 1t is as hard
! as steel and about 65 in specific
! gravity. 1t is known also as tin
white cobalt and gray cobalt.
| These minerals have not been
found in any large masses, but are
more apt to be more or less spar
ingly disseminated through rocks
and also through veins containing
other minerals. These minerals
! in decomposing would form carbo-
mates, sulphates, and oxides and CO.
bait, which would be entirely differ
ent in appearance from the minerals
! from which they have been derived.
The more common alteration prod
uct would be The oxide and this is