The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-12-27
FIND NEW USES SILVER
UP TO BUREAU OF MINES
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION
INDICATES EFFORTS MAY
PROVE SUCCESSFUL.


Systematic study of silver and it's
alloys should result in its wider use
in at least two fields, with strong
probability of similar results in other
directions, according to a report sub
mitted by the Bureau of Mines
to Secretary Work of the Interior De-
partment in response to his recent
request for a preliminary study of
possible new uses for silver in COM
MERGE and industry The possibility
of developing a non furnishing silver
for use in tableware and the arts and
Of finding silver alloys suitable for
trimming automobiles were set forth
as the two fields in which a system
attic investigation should result in
wider use of silver.
Silver has been allowed to fit into
places where it would satisfy the re-
quirements, and little systematic re-
search to develop new uses has been
DONE" the Bureau of Mines report
stated. such research, therefore,
mas a better chance Of success than
if the field already had been extern
sively investigated. Although indi-
vidual producers and fabricators have
not overlooked the possibilities of such
studies it is believed that the situa-
ton now has reached a stage where,
under governmental direction. these
individual investigations could be CO.
ordinated into a systematic plan of
research to increase the commercial
and industrial use of silver
New Alloys.
"One of the major possibilities
would be through the development of
new alloys. It is well known that
small percentage, in many cases only
a fraction of per cent, of one metal
alloyed with another changes the
properties of the latter greatly
Everyone is familiar with the decided
change in appearance caused in cop
per by the addition of a small per-
centage of nickel, as well as with the
decided change in properties of steel
caused by the addition of very small
of non ferrous metals. 1t
is entirely possible that systematic
would develop alloys of
silver which would have most desir-
able properties for use industrially or
commercially.
zone of the chief drawbacks to the
use of silver for household articles is
that it readily furnishes. If this could
be overcome or materially decreased
by means of the development of an
ALLOW which would not be excessively
expensive, it should result in a great
increase in the use of silver articles
and. in turn, in a large increase in
amount of silver consumed.
ut is known that certain metals,
including cadmium, when alleged with
silver reduce it's susceptibility to tar
nish. This is mentioned merely as an
example. 1t is entirely possible that
other metals or combinations of other
metals with silver would form an
alloy unacceptable to tarnish, If not
nom tarnishable, under ordinary con-
ditions.
Automobile Trimmings.
There is further the possibility OF
developing cheap alloys in which only
n small proportion of silver will be
used which, due to the large con-
sumption of such alloys, would result
in a large increase in the amount OF
silver consumed. Silver aluminium
allows deserve consideration in this
connection. One of the uses to which
such an alloy might be put would be
that of trimming on automobiles. A
silver alloy relatively non-tarnishable
and solid throughout would have de-
cided advantages over the present
niclsel-plated trim. The investigation
Of the possibility of producing such
an alloy is worthy of consideration.
Secretary Work has submitted
copy of this report to Senator Tasker
T.. Oddie. chairman of the Senate
Commission of Gold and Silver In
ouiry. requesting an opinion from the
commission as to whether the public
interest would warrant the Interior
DEPARTMENT undertaking the coordina-
ton of individual Investigations ana
the beginning of a systematic study
of new uses for silver.