The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-10-14
PLATINUM A USEFUL METAL.
Rut it is Two and One-Half Times as
Costly as Gold.

In chemical laboratories the safe
ty of the equipment of platinum YES
sells such as crucibles, dishes, trays
and stirring rods receives constant
attention. Platinum is the costilest
useful metal in the world, having
about two and one-half times the
market value of gold. A thousand
dollars worth of platinum cruclbles
could be easily carried in a man S
pocket. Such vessels cost about 500
a troy ounce.
Thefts of platinum from labora-
tories are of frequent occurrence.
The thief usually has received labor
atory training and knows the value
of platinum. He visits a laboratory
for pretended professional purposes
and while discussing scientific ques-
tons with the chemist in charge
manages to secrete such platinum as
comes within his reach and disap-
pears.
Platinum is so precious that both
its manufacturers and it's purchasers
place upon each article an individual
mark, which is recorded, together
with the actual weight. The latter
is computed to the fourth decimal
which is inclusive of one-tenth of a
milligram.
Losses by theft are promptly re-
ported, frequently by telegraph, to
manufacturers and dealers in platl-
mum and scientific publications, the
weight, size and form of each article
being carefully described. There are
only four or five reputable dealers
in platinum for laboratory purposes
in the United States.
The metal is extensively used,
however, in mounting for jewels, ana
in the manufacture of electric light
globes. Its utility for the latter pur-
pose is due to the fact that the CO.
eficients of expansion of platinum
and glass are the same.
The physical virtues OF platinum
from the standpoint of the chemist
and assayer constitute the thief's
greatest difficulty in disposing OF his
spoils if he is expert, without scien-
tific knowledge of how to melt or
decompose the metal. Platinum re-
mains intact in the fierce heat of an
oxyhydrogen blow-pipe up to LOO
degrees centigrade, or about 3,2oo
degrees Fahrenheit, while lead melts
! at 1927, silver 96l, gold at 1,071 and
iron at 1850 degrees centigrade.
Platinum is not solvent in any sin
gle acid, but may be attacked by a
combination of certain acids, with
the result that it becomes brittle.
Strong acids are commonly used in
cleaning platinum vessels in the lab
oratory. Peculiarly, platinum is
easily cleaned by rubbing 1t with
round moist sea sand on the end OF
ones finger. In appearance plati-
mum lacks the richness of gold, and
resembles tin that has become slight
" oxidized.
In well-equipped laboratory for
original research the various platl-
mum dishes, crucibles and stirring
rods have an aggregate weight OF
about. $500 grams and an approx
mate value of $4,000. The largest
vessels are 2 1-2 inches in diameter
and / 1-S inches in depth, weigh 40
grams each and are worth about $50
each. A single stirring rod may,
cost more than s100.
The worlds supply of platinum
comes mostly from the Ural Noun
tains, in Russia, and has been de-
creased by the European war. In
1909 the worlds output OF crude
platinum was 198,330 troy ounces
lof which 19O,0S7 came from Russia.
Platinum is found also in Canada,
New South Wales, Colombia, Borneo
and Sdmatra, and in the States OF
California, Oregon and Wyoming.
The annual output of crude plati-
mum in the United States is about
700 troy ounces.-New York Sun.