Evening star., 1914-08-16

euooeu cnanSe IN tno lntefnaCon4l tr2fnc
In radium. the earth's s
Hadlum TTaMc most precious mineral
sna ~. W., product, and, accord
'~~ ing to reports which
have been submitted to Secretary OF the
Interior Franklin K. Lane. the whole fu-
ture Of the industry. both abroad and in
this country. L. seriously threatened. As
10 generally known. the principal radium-
producing ore is carnotite. and the United
States possesses rich deposits Of this
mineral on which the whole world de-
pends for Its supply OF radium.
Up to the present time Europe, how
ever. has had practically a monopoly In
the manufacture of radium, securing the
ore from the carnotite fields Of Colorado.
panies have been organized to extract ra-
dium, and, while the manufacturing in
dustry In this country Is yet in its In
fancy. contracts have been made for the
during the next year. Europe has been
the principal market as well as virtually
the only center for the manufacture Of
radium. and consequently many Of the
contracts for the delivery Of American
manufactured radiu3n have been made
with foreign hospitals and medical au-
thorities.
Since the beginning Of the war of the
European nations not only have ore
contracts been Cancelled. but foreign man.
ufacturers. who produce the bulk Of the
finished product at the present time. will
be compelled to close down. Tho carnotite
ore-mtning industry in the United States,
therefore, has no market for its output.
and its very life Is threatened, accord
ing to ofncials Of the United States De-
partment of the Interior.
Miners and prospectors in the Amer
ican carnotite fields at the present time
are absolutely dependent upon foreign
American company which produces
radium mines the ore from its own de-
posits and has purchased very little
from Independent miners. It appears,
therefore. to Secretary Lane and mem-
resentatives who are interested in radium
legislation that the sale Of the carnotite
ore will greatly diminish because Of the
war and perhaps will altogether cease,
a. there win be no buyers.
The natural thing to be expected would
be that the American company would
purchase carnotite ores at 4 much lower
price from the Independent miners who
have lost the business Of tho foreign
markets. but this Is said to Be offset by
ufacturers Of radium will lose their chief
market for the finished product-Durope
Before both houses Of Congress Secre-
tary Lane and government experts testi-
ue0 QUr1hB Iuo past Wlntox IN 1hVOr Oh
measure now pending which gives to
the government preferential right to
purchase radium ores from public land
at prices to be adjusted every six
months BY the Secretary Of the In
terror. ana imposes conditions that will
require the full and prompt development
Of the carnotits fields for the benefit
Of the general public. This bill 10 drawn
to encourage prospecting ana mining. as
we'll as to stimulate domestic manufao-
ture Of radium for American hospitals
and will give the men who discover the
carnotite ore a steady market for their
product and will insure prompt payment
for the material when sold.
The situation as viewed by Interior De-
partment experts Is SO serious that un-
less Congress steps in and acts quickly
upon the bill now pending. which pro.
.he carnotits ore from which radium ID
extracted. the industry will be crippled
,eyond hopes Of recovery for many
months, and perhaps years.
Ill those who are interested In the
.arnotits fields of the west. But an as
oect Of the situation which appears even