The Kusko times., 1929-03-30
Tales From the Hills
PLATINUM.
By Ahet s. Wkerson Instructor in Geology Mineraog
 Agricultural College and School of Mines

4 the nextS time" murmured Larry, as he sthdiedsa cast-of catalogue. "Yes,, ? that 'sleat!. kind for me. Nothing will be too good for that dear one of Inf heart"
 Forget that darn dog of yours, Larrf. Now sdppose that you are l thinking of buying her nice dia- molld-studded collar" sarcastically came. from Jack.
 "I am not thinking of the dog this : time, Jack. am thinking of the time my ai1 returned my ring. This time am going to buy her platinum ring |. and she will like it so much that she wilLaake me with the ring. This is some time off ; however"
 "You know, Jask, every time that I seeaar thing about platinum l. think of the story told me some years ago. 1t seems that some years ago ;severa Americans paid profitable visit to Russia, or to be more exact, to the Urais3 These men visited many homes, and when they were about to leave the country they went around and ] bought all the stovepipes that some of the people had. And, naturally, they bought them very cheap. We'll, the Americans knew that a large percent age of the metals in the stovepipe was platinum. I suppose that the country people knew that platinum was in the pipes, but did not know it's vaue. But the Americans did. At that time plat inunr platinum was not at it's present high price, because it's uses were not well known"
 Sounds good, if true. Sounds good even if not true," said Jack, as he waited for Larry to continue. He knew that Larry was in d >talkative mood and that he might as we'll allow him ito run his course. They had lived together a long time and thus Jack leas-nad to recognize his partners moods in advance.
 '.Nou know" continued Larry, "that platinum is much in demand today. It is nos. worth about S68 an ounce, and about, s78 an ounce if refined. And the price will be coming up soon agan again. Only few months ago it was worth around $100 an ounce.
 Platinum was first used as an aduheEant of gold, and in Russia it was psed for coinage for a number of years. Now it is used for crucibles and other chemical apparatus which are subjected to high temperatures or very strong acids. It is also employed in dentistry, for electric lamps and electric apparatus, in photography for jewelry, and some other things that I cannot now think of"
 "1s platinum ever found in the na- tive state as gold is?" inquired Jack.
 'That is about the only way it is found, Jack" answered Larry. "It is the ony way it comes so far as com mercial quantities are concerned. Commercial quantities are the only quantities that I like to talk about. Yes, platinum is found as pure plat mum, just as gold is found as pure gold. It is commonly found in placer deposits, but it's original home is in association with chronite in peridot- ties, or in serpentines derived from the peridotites. In the Urals the : mother rock was dunite 5orolivine rock. Usually the original home is rather poor. In the Urals the dunite contained platinum averaging only a grain or less per cubic yard of the fresh rock. In Nevada it has been found in quartz veins, while in Su- matra it occurs in contact-metamor- phic deposit. Most of the worlds supply of platinm is obtained from DlacorS hoxynyar Ii is taken out by