The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-03-02
BUREAU Of MINES
ON RAD|U|M VALUES

The price of radium salts varies 70
some extent. depending upon tic quanu-
~ purchased and also from whom Rur, r,
chased. The average price for radium
bromide in small quantities Is $40 per
miligram. Some makers charge as high
as Sl00 per mllligram. writes X. II. moore
and Karl l.. Kithl In bulletin 20 OF the
United States bureau OF mines. This,
however IS for a specially pure and guar
anteed product Lower grade material
has corresponding1y lower price. For
example. a sample containing 80 per cent
radium bromide Is worth half 8 nuch
per milligram as one which Is guarano
teed TO be perfectly pure. a price of $40
per milltErIm corresponds TO $i0,OOU per
gram. or 50. 900 per ounce.
There is hardly any material on the
open market today tlat offers better
sale. The rea son Of this is that the aver
age chemist Is unable 10 tell whether the
radium salt is pure. and TO what degree
il is below the guaranteed standard. In
the earlier days OF The sale of radlum
rsdioa ctivtv standard was used. Under
TINS standard any material that had
rados ctiVity OF s2.000.000 was repre-
sentcd as pure. Material of lower ado
of radium The standard was absolutely
arbitrary and for temporary purposes was
sufficiently exact. but conditions have
changed. person purchasing rsdium
stating exactly what per cent OF radum
chloride or radlum bromide the sample
contains. Upon no other basis can "a
purchaser be sure OF obtaining a stand
ard article.
Another point which It is necessary TO
bear in mind is that in r3dium chloride
metallic radium is very different. the
chloride containing 80 per cent radlum
and the bromide less than 80 per cent II
can therefore be seen that the values Of
2 milligram each OF the two salts based
upon the metallic radium content. are
different The same price per millgram
should not be paid for bromide as for
chloride All dealers should sell their
of metallic radium present.
With the large increase in production
Of radium during the last two years, the
question of a market and the contjnu-
ance OF the present prices is a very peril
nent subject. Undoubtedly IL is now
more difficult TO dispose or radum than
1t was a few years ago due to this in
crease in production. As already stated.
the future market will depend very large
y upon the successful use of radium
for medical purposes. If it can be dem
ical profession as a whole that II has
q decided use in any one disease, the
demand for radium will not only equal the
present supply. but will equal any sup
ket in the future. For example. IL 1t
can be proven that treatment with the
radium emanauon is the best cure for
rheunat tlsm. since one gram of radium
persons continuously. 1t can he seen that
no likely supply in the immediate fI-
ture could equal the demand Therefore,
a supply OF radium salts sufficient TO
meet the needs of an adequate investi-
cation of the medicinal properties of ra-
dium should either be placed In the care
Of a Tadium institute in this country
or made available for use in some of our
large hospitals. The radium in the Colo
rado and Utah ores should not be sont
abroad In the future a It has been In the
past. This country should receive the
scientific and medical benefits which NAV
be expected from its retention and use
on this side OF the Atlantic
Inc radlum was supposed to be 200O.-
oOu tlmes as radioactive as a similar
weight OF pure uranium oxide.