New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-21
FL Alloy, Nitric and
SulOhuric Acids Lacking
n..oite Mineral Wealth
shortage Not Unlikely
s.,,e,ary Says, However, That
American Chemists Could
Find Substitutes

.r., TIE Tribune Bureau
..g,on. April 20.-The extent to
,bc mineral resources OF the
S,.,es arc available for war pur-
'..' vas disclosed in statement
secretary Lane Of the Interior.
80. this country annually produces
y, s.,f The worlds copper and nearly
.s;,5. Of the worlds petroleum. no
.,.risl except coal will stand
~. Z, asa mineral asset in the Pro'e'"-
~ Of the war ,
y, =. United States lacks several OF
Genital minerals which must be
49, with other minerals or used
.,s,lue them before q great output
-, material can be assured. This
,,,,ieularly the case with the bases
MA e1plOsives--sulphurie and nitric
I, e true also Of steel, for though
:. Halted States has an unlimited
$, Of iron ores, manganese, used In
~, \. ,oep hearth method Of msnufact-
/. mostly imported and a substi-
- aust be found
n, Secretary declared that aside
A. their financial value the pre-
-. metals did not enter into the pro-
,-,.lon Of war material, with the ex-
cation Of platinum. But the 5000
.-,,.s Of this metal, yearly reclaimed
!, ne government minis. will make
\ The contact process hundreds Of
asuands Of pounds Of concentrated
sslphurie acid.
100000 Tons Of Acid Needed
In this connection Secretary Lane
nid;
Speaking broadly, concentrated sui
,lurie acid, the famous H2S04 of col
80 memory. and nitric acid, are the
20 chief and vital elements neces-
ury In explosive manufacture. We
,ssll need about 6,00Ok00 tons of sui
,kurie acid this year. This acid is not
! pleasAnt thing to transport, so in
pssee times it is generally used close
= he point OF production. Its use is
tuofOld: the low grade acid goes large
y into the production of phosphates
ior agricultural fertilizer because it
vii burn the phosphate out Of phos-
ttate rock.
ave have two great natural beds of
ulphur, but they are in the extreme
puthern part Of the United States,
With the result that in peace times we
rdinarily import about 100000 tons
q iron pyrites, containing about 45 per
unt Of sulphur, and roast it out. In
the OF need we could secure sufficient
from our own beds.
But with concentrated sulphuric
sid the case Is different. This acid is
obtained from the fumes Of lead and
fine shelters by the contact process,
Vhich requires platinum in order to OK
idiIe the gases. The machinery is eX-
psasive and takes time to install, but
N ample supply can be assured if suf-
teisnt platinum is available"
Nitrates in Atmosphere
This country has no nitrates to pro-
tsse nitric ecid, but the atmosphere
uhlains an abundant supply, and Sec
n.ary Lane believes that the solution
q the question lies in this direction.
He declared:
Nitric acid, made from nitrates, is
re other necessary basic material
from which high explosives are made.
La f'nttod Ct.too couto,re ,,racf,co I ~
10 nitrstes, nor does any other coun-
" except Chile. From Chile we i'm
port N peace times about 100000 tons
year. Of which about 40 per cent is
ssed for fertilizer and 40 per cent for
oplosiveA
The atmosphere around US contains
nitrogen in limitless quantities, and
congress has voted S20,00O,000 for the
obstruction Of plant for its fixation.
ne location and character of this
l'int are now being determined. so that
comparatively short time we shall
y equipped in this respect for the
'aeny in time Of war and for added
greultural production in time Of
eace."
Steel production is complicated by
ls lack Of manganese, but the Secre-
aFy Is certain that a substitute will be
.ssnd. All the important chemical and
Biological laboratories in the country
~ now working on this and other
peelems Of similar sort, and prom
Ahg leads have already been opened.
Hardening Of Steel
Discussing this matter, Secretary
ana remarked:
q With regard TO the metals the
sa..ed States has ample quantities of
~ ores from which 70 make steel
Us and shells for the army and the
~ but soft ores do not make hard
49, without the addition of various
eu and oxidizers. For example, the
~ ores from the Great Lakes dis
A and from Alabama as well, con-
80 much sulphur that If the sui
were not removed the steel would
naky, brittle and unserviceable.
sasiore. the open hearth method of
iae'aring was invented, but this