Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-06-18
Platinum, Becomes
Most Sought For
Metal in History

Washington, June iS.-New chapters
in the romance OF platinum, once
thrown away as waste but now the
most sought after metal in the world,
have been written since the Wal began
Nations are lighting for it Adventu"-
crs are risking their lives TO OBTAIN IL,
Women spies and diplomatic agents
are playing the game of international
intrigue 10 control even an ounce OF
the noble metal as il IS known to
geologists so valuable has il become
and so necessary to the prosecution of
the world war.
The United States government re-
Gently took a hand in the game N,y
Communicating all unworked platinum
in this country, setting therefor
price Of slO5 an ounce, as compared
with SEED ten wears ago. Even this
action. however, has not obtained suffI-
cient of the metal fod war purposes.
officials who failed TO heed the warn
ngs Of platinum experts al ;nS be
ginning Of the war are wondering how
they can retrieve their error in no!
vigorously meeting the national nee
cssity by using every legitimate means
to obtain platinum For the total
amount Of known platinum thruout the
world IS only 100000 ocunces, OF
which about one fourth is in the
United States. Much OF that is viz
tually irreclaimable thru use in dental
work and personal jewelry. and the
output. since the Russian dehacie, has
fallen 10 fraction of What IL was IN
times Of peace.
1t is the last reason which IS Civ
ing officials so much concern. Rus
STA has been the source of most of thH
worlds platinum and, in 1918 was
credited with production OF e50,0O0
Troy ounces Columbia with $4,000,
New South Wales and Tasmania, l.
275, United States California and
Oregon being almost the only produc-
ing states only 4S3, Borneo and
Sumartra 200 and Canada 80.
The German invasion of Russia
plenishng his stocks of platinum to the
ietriment OF the allies. Mining in
Russia virtua.'y has ceased now, even
il the metal could be shipped odt Of
the country. anG the world looks TO
Columbia for platinum Suggestions
for a government monopoly of plat
mum have been advanced in the Col
umbian congress. Whatever action is
taken. the fortunes of war will mean
wealth for the southern republic.
One of the most spectacular feats
Of the war was the concentration OF
10000 ounces Of platinum in Russia by
& young American mining engineer, at
tached to the embassy there, who re-
coGnZed the Importance of obtaining
the metal. Each precious brick,
wrapped in leather cover, was
brought half way across the world TO
the United States and turned over to
the government for use in the manu-
tacture Of sulphuric acid, a constitu-
ent Of explosives, for the manufac-
ture Of contact points in electrical
apparatus and other uses necessary TO
war. An interesting history Of plat
mum is given by the Latin American
division Of the bureau of foreign and
domestic commerce.
Platinum WIS discovered in what is
now Columbia in 1885, by a Spaniard
named Don Antonio de Ulloa, who ac-
companied a French scientific expedi-
ton. and his account Of it was the first
information regarding the metal to be
brought 10 the attention Of Europeans.
It's resistability to acids and the diff &.
Guilty Of working it were remarked
upon, but it was not considered to be
nearly as precious as gold, and was
used at times by counterfeiters as a
basis to- cc!:.. J. was noc until the
middle Of the nineteenth century that
the demand for platinum for use in
chemical laboratories and for electri-
cal uses brought its value up to the
point where it ranked as one of the
most precious metals.
In the placer mining OF gold in
Columbia it was formerly thrown
away as waste. and when the rise In
price made it more valuable than gold
the ground on which the waste had
been thrown became in its turn field
for mining operations, and even the
| streets Of the principal center OF gold
| refining in Columbia. Quibo, were torn
up and the soil washed for particles OF
the new treasure. One man tore down
his store in order to get at the ground
| beneath, and found so much platinum
that he was enabled to rebuild and
make an extra $4,000 for his trouble.
Platinum Is recovered principally
from the beds of streams, the particles
having been deposited there thru ero-
sion of large rocks. classified geolog!-
cally az Tertiary conglomerates." The
platinum grains are found with gold
the proportion varying from to so
! per cent OF platinum. The two metals
are recovered by washing the sand and
gravel of streams.
The married rise in the price OF plat
mum in the last two or three years
has considerably stimulated mining
activities in Cuoinbia- especially on
the part OF the native miners.
Present imports Of Columbian plat
mum by the United States represents
almost the total visible exports OF that
country.
MATCH SHORTAGE IN LONDON,