Evening journal., 1914-02-21
RETICENT ON
RADIUM PLAN
Tests Private and Designed
to Discover Mere Practical
Methods Mr.. du POntSayS
DENIES CONNECTION
WITH THE GOVERNMENT

Alfred /. DUPONT, vice-president Of
the z. I. DUPONT Powder Company
and owner OF important pitchblende
mines in Colorado, declares that the
reports from Denver TO the effect
that he had donated 1900 tons Of
pitchblende for scientific purposes
were false.
While Mr.. DUPONT is working in
the interests OF humanity in endeay-
oring to reduce the price OF radium
and to facilitate experiments with
a view Of obtaining a permanent cure
for cancer. he. refrains from divulg-
ing his complete plans.
THE reports from Colorado" he
said, ARE greatly in error Il Is
quite true. however that large
quantity OF pitchblende ore has been
shipped from the mines TO Denver.
] do not know the exact amount, but
II is nothing like 1,50O--15O tons
would perhaps be more correct.
Il am not in a position 10 make
public my plans regarding the final
disposition OF the radium. At the
present time / have nothing to dis
pose Of. We are working on a sys-
TEN Of concentration TO make pos
sible easy handling for the final prod
uct The average pitchblende con-
tains about 2iA per cent uranium
oxide. Thus far We have been able TO
concentrate by the wet process with
a loss Of 25 per cent This must be
still further reduced.
fffTo fhnf owe ,sorrs
method, dry concentration. In order
to make experiments, the pitchblende
has been shipped TO Denver"
Mr.. DUPONT was asked whether his
experiments were connected in any
way with those being carried on by
the Government and DR.. Howard A.
Kelley, Of Johns Hopkins University.
A negative reply was given.
Mr.. DUPONT stated that his work
was entirely independent, but that
the Government had offered TO assist
in reducing the radium. II was as
serted. however. that the expert
ments conducted by Mr.. duPont's
engineers and chemists have pro-
gressed as far. II not farther, than
the Government work.
Mr. DUPONT is the owner Of the
four largest radium producing mines
in the world. These are the Belcher,
German, Wood and Mitchell. all To-
Gated on Quartz Hill, Gilpin county,
Colorado. He is the sole owner.
Virtually all the radium which has
heen produced in Europe for several
years came originally from the prop
critics. Mr. dupont has expended a
fortune in development work. He
has Terminated the expectation Of
ore and is deyoting much of his time
and energy to the production Of rad
ium in this country.
The recent agitation in Congress
regarding the withdrawal of radium-
producing land IN the West. centered
only around the carnotite deposits
Carnotite contains a low percentage
of uranium oxide Having a specific
gravity virtually the same as the
Il Is impossible to concentrate the
ore
Pitchbleude. on the other hand, be-
ing so per cent. heavier than the
associate minerals. as "-ell as having
a higher percentage Of ur mum oxide
and greater radio-actiyity, is far
more valuable.
II has been found only in Glpin
county. Colorado. in Austria and in
Australia The mines, however. in
the foreign countrines contain but a
low-grade ore.
Scientists. including Madame Curie.
the discoyerer OF radium. assert
that the DUPONT mines represent vir-
tually the worlds supply Of radium.