The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-10-31
MUST OBTAIN LICENSE
BUY OR USE PLATINUM
GOVERNMENT NEEDS METAL
APPLY TO LOCAL EXPLO-
SIVE AGENT.

In order to buy, sell or use platinum,
iridium or palladium it Is now neees-
sary to make application to the local
explosive agent for a license, accord
ing to notice recently issued by Edgar
S. Elder, explosive agent for the state
of Idaho. whose headquarters are at
st. Maries. The licensing agent has
no authority to issue the license, but
will simply take the application and
forward it to the war industries board
with his recommendation. This order
is based on the fact that these are
war minerals and the necessity of
regulating the use and sale of them
in order that the government may Sc
cure a sufficient quantity for war use.
Production and Value.
In his report to the bureau of mines,
Hennen Jennings, chairman of the
platinum regulation committee, has
this to say of the metals:
For the year 1913 the worlds pro-
duction of crude platinum has been
given at about $4,000 ounces troy,
while for 1917 only $4,000 ounces; thus
at present there is obtained from all
the mines only 26h per cent Of the
pre-war output. In 1918 Russia was
credited with 95 per cent Of the total
and in 1917 only 60 per cent.
Iridium is associated with platinum
and the supply Of this metal is for the
most part obtained from the platinum
deposits of Russia. Platinum was dis
covered in Columbia, South America,
in 1875. In 1910 it commanded only
from 80 to 40 cents an ounce. 1t was
found in Russia in 1919. In 1928 it
had value of about 81 an ounce. The
fluctuation in values of platinum and
iridium from 1901 to 1914 Is most no.
ticeable, the price per troy ounce of
platinum varying from $14 to $685.
Since 1914 platinum and it's allied met
ais have varied in price as follows:
For 1914, platinum $45, iridium SOS,
and palladium $44; 1915, platinum $55,
iridium $3.50, and palladium $67; 1917,
platinum $1O3, iridium $3.50, and pal
ladium $40; 1918, platinum sos, iri-
dunn $175, and palladium $135, the
government fixed prices.
Next to Russia, Columbia pro-
duces the largest amount of platinum
and presents the most promise Of
larger future outputs under stimulus
of higher prices. Platinum in this
country is found in many places but
in small quantity, being less than
per cent of the whole worlds pro-
duction, but with the present high
rate and price it's discovery and pro-
duction in this country may be some
what increased.
Compared With Gold.
"As an ornament, the lustre and col
or of platinum is inferior to gold, but
more than it's equal in indestructibil-
ity. 1t Is superior to gold in it's infus-
bility and more useful for industrial
purposes. It's electrical usefulness is
also far greater than gold. 1t is a mis-
fortune, therefore. that with only a
limited and waning supply of platin-
UNI found in the placer deposits, 1t
has ever become fashionable as an or
nament and it's use as such Should be
discouraged in all reasonable ways.
These regulations and requisition or
ders submitted, prevent further man
ufacture Of platinum for all ornament
al and non essential purposes during
the duration of the war. 1t is not,
however, intended to now prevent the
sale of platinum jewelry already man
ufactured. 1t is believed that in case