Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1910-06-13
VALUE OF NEWLY DISCOVERED
METALS.

Not So long ago such metals as tung-
stem. mOlybdenum. vanadium and ura-
iium were so rare that the commercial
world knew nothing about them. and
as rule only students were awar,
that they had been discovered. Few
people ever saw boron. silicon. titani-
um and chromium except in museums
says the Chicago Inter ocean.
Goethes dying cry for more light
has been echoed around the world un-
Ill cities now blaze at night with the
glory Of the MONDAY sun, and this has
been made possible by some Of these
rare metals that temper and tougher
steel. In other Industries also these
metals play an important part.
Until "A comparatively short time ago
these rare metals were left in the
dump heap at the mines. being deemed
not only Valueless but actually detri-
mental to the concentration of the ore
which was considered of value. In
Boulder county, COL. the miners used
To throw away what they called black
jack. Now that they know black jack
To be wolframite. an ore of tungsten,
they are carefully smelling the dump
heaps. as tungsten forms a valuable
branch of mining.
In Cornwall, England. the miners
found tungsten ore. but called it mock
lead because of its high specific gravi-
~. and they. too. left it in the dumps.
Upon learning the value of the stuff
they are working over the refuse heaps
"a recover the valuable tungsten.
In 1912 this ore was found in Lanes
mine at Trumbull, Conn, and Eben
Smith discovered it in 1870 in Colo
RADIO. but it is only within the decade
that il has become of value CONNER
cially. In the summer of 1904 pros
pectors working through Okanogau
county. Wash. with pick and shovel,
drill and powder. staked a claim which
abounded in a new ore that they be
lieved to be filled with gold and sill
er Much excited. they filled their
pockets and FASTENED 10 an assayer
in LOOMS to secure ar analysis.
When neither gold nor silver was
found they gave up their claim. But
the assayer noticed unfamiliar crystals
in the ore and proceeded To investi-
gate. and found it impregnated with
thlAS sly dNihs " litll tl-iN Att bfN sililF
known there was soon a new industry
for the region.
Tungsten is now in demand for in
candescent lamp filaments. In the
form of sOlium tungstate fireproof-
ing Of value is produced. Tungsten
brought joy to the heart of the house
wife in that it fixes dyes so that wash
goods will wash. Silk merchants re-
joiced, for other tungsten salts added
weight to silk.
Tungsten steel is extremely tough
ProjectileS made from IL have pene-
trated through fourteen inches Of the
best armor plate Tungsten compass
needles are the best on the market.
In the form of ferrOtungsten it has
produced a high speed tool steel
that was never thought possible by me-
chanics. Even pianos have been bene-
fitted. as tungsten gives added strength
and quality To the wires Its high
melting point gives it value in the
manufacture of the highest grade cru
cibles.
Tungsten ores have been melted in
electric furnaces. but the problem now
is to produce it by direct pig iron blast
furnace smelling The American
Smelling and Refining company re
Gently appropriated $4,000 for expert
mental work on the treatment of tung-
stem ores.
Tungsten is now mined in Arizona.
alifornia, Nevada. Montana, Idaho.
nd Colorado, which produces 90 per
rent of the output. The tungsten belt
n Colorado is three miles long and
light miles wide The worlds pro-
1uction of this ore in 1905 was 3.979'
ons. in 1906 4.204 tons and in 1907
5.191 tons The production i'm COlora-
dc in 1907 was valued at 100000. and
the market for tungsten has become
almost as staple as that for copper.
zinc or lead
Though tantalum has been known
for a century. it was not commercially
useful until Moissan in 1908 brought
il into the limelight through the cleo
trio furnace. II is found in the Black
Hills of Dakota. and its most impOr-
tant minerals are columbite and tana-
lite. small quantity has been kept
in this country for experimental work.
but the yearly output. amounting to
several tons. has been shipped to Ger
many
The most important use to which
is put is in the manufacture
Of filaments for incandescent lamps.
They were put on the market i'm Ger
many in 1906, and in the United States
in 1906. Thetantalum lamp scores on
these three points-high efficiency.
ability to withstand high currents and
of light.
Vanadium in small quantities is dis
-ributed in sandstOnes, limestOnes and
igneous rocks. It's greatest value. when
a lloVed with iron as ferrOva Dadium ia