Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-06
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY REPORTS
ON VARIED USES TO WHICH
METAL CAN BE PUT.
MOST ABUNDANT OF ALL
METALS IN EARTh'S CRUST
Price Drops From 81 Per Ounce to %
Cents per Pound as Supply is De-
veIoped-Methods Of Cheap Extrae-
ton Discovcred-To Take Place Of
Iron in Many Lines.
Especial Correspondence

Washington Oct 6-Tan sky sc rapers
on the one hand and brooches and
hatpins on the other are likely to be
among the things for which aluminium
is used, according to a report on the
strides made by the aluminium INDUS
try by the geological survey, and the
possibilities of this remarkable metal
in the future.
That it can be used for structural
material is indicated by the fact that
it is highly resistant TO chemical &C
ion and can be readily rachired and
rolled and drawn into wire. In tact us
utilities seem almost endless.
This wonderful metal is compar-
aiively new one. one fact that max
It's utility of the more moment is that
the nations Of the world are begin
ming to be worried over the supply OF
iron ore Back of the German
French trouble. for instance. is said TO
lie. among other things, the fact Nor
COCO has vast supplies of iron ore
which Germany needs badly and
which she covets.
Not over d generation ago, aluminium
was little more than a curiosity. IT
was worth SIS or more pound anu
it's total production in the United
States was less than 100 pounds year
notwithstanding the fact aluminium Is
the most abundant of all the metals IN
the earth's crust, Of which aluminium
oxide forms about Is per cent,
In dealing with the great progress
made in the aluminium industry. w. I.
phaIen in a report for the geological
survey. shows a consumption in the
United States in 1910 OF 4',.54o oV
rounds. valued at nearly s1".000.ooo'
The price has thus dropped from about
81 an ounce to about % cents pound
or about a cent and half an ounce.
Supply Unlimited.
M Phalen says the supply is prac-
HcaHy unlimited, awaiting a cheap
process of extraction. he says that
aftho aluminium has in recent years De-
come most important economic met
al. 1t is at present produced only from
bauxite, q comparatively scarce min
eral, and that even the great discov-
cry which made this possible 10 only
the FIRST stage OF wrestling the metal
from its various rock and earth COM
binations Aluminium Is an essential
constituent OF all important rocks ex-
cept sandstone and limestone and Is
found in all clays.
A number Of recently patented pro-
cesses are mentioned by Mr. Phalen
which show progress In the cheap OK
traction Of the metal from the COM
man sources Of supply. In Its var
lots forms, both pure and as an alloy,
the metal possesses 80 many remark
able qualities that Mr.. Phalen says II
may be welcomed as coming metal
Of great utility Should 1t become as
abundant and cheap metal as may
reasonably be expected, the metal holds
boundless possibilities.
An alloy called duraluminum con-
tains 80 to IS per cent OF aluminium.
which at present prices would make 1t
"a ther expensive but it is said to have
qualities as good as Bessemer steel
altho it is only about one-third as
heavy as iron or brass. 1t possesses
great hardness. even when annealed
Another alloy Of aluminium and copper
is said to be good imitation Of gold.
1t takes a high luster, polishes readily
and is weu-adapted to ornamental pur-
poses.
In 1883 there were eighty three
pounds Of the metal produced in the
United States Now, as already indi-
Gated, the consumption here is 49,
$4,000 pounds. practically all Of 1t
from this country. Mr.. Phalen does
not say the world will one day be
building battleships out Of 1t but the
remarkable growth in proportions and
in usefulness Of the industry seems
to make almost anything possible.