Evening star., 1936-01-30
LOST RARE METAL
TO Be RECOVERED
Proactinium Needs Only to
Be Brought Out Of
Solution.

Cd1OA\fO, Jdlu0Iy OU >N.&A'A~'A'/'
In his laboratory at the University Of
Chicago, DR.. Aristid Won Crosse, as
sured of q niche in chemistry's hall OF
immortals by isolation two years ago
Of metallic protoactinium, one OF the
rarest Of elements, Is going ahead with
plans for experiments with the stun
with amazing calm in view Of the re-
cent loss Of all of the element there
was in the world.
The lost supply was no bigger to
look at than mote OF dust. Even as
the deposit collected on fine tungsten
wire it was decently visible only under
. strong magnifying glass. 1t weighed
only q little more than a half milli-
gram, which Is ne-thousandth Of q
gram, which is, in turn, .03527 Of one
ounce.
DR.. Won Crosse was inclined to argue
over whether the protoactinium was
really lost as result of what he ad-
mitted was clumsy handling" when. a
few weeks, ago, he sought to have his
sample take a picture of itself by its
own rays in a dark room. At that
time what he had gathered OF the
element on the wire crumbled to in
finitesimal particles.
Element Still in Solution.
"From the standpoint of chemical
history, suppose it must be regarded
as lost" said DR.. Won Crosse, who sur
prises at first sight by his youth and
failure to fit the usual PROFESSIONAL
picture.
He is only 81, affects tweeds OF
strong patterns, dark flannel shirts
and loud ties: has bright red hair ana
wanted to talk foot ball, even though
the season is long past.
II suppose that to the Museum OF
Science and Industry, where had been
exhibiting the protoactinium, 1t Is
loss to have the first ever isolated in
its free metallic form fall apart.
But from the chemists standpoint
It is not lost at all. I have it all.
washed the crumbled particles into
solution that will hold it until wish
to isolate it again.
HAS IlCuty N1VtV any "oys
"Besides, there are compounds con-
tanning protoactinium enough to pro-
vide US with half gram of the free
element. So, actually, what was lost
was really only one five-hundredth OF
what chemists consider the worlds
supply
$50, why should be excited?
meanwhile, I'm going ahead with
plans for physiological experiments
with protoactinium. That means I
shall be trying to learn the effects OF its
radioactive characteristics on human
organisms.
"There is no definite evidence yet
that it can be used practically like
radium on cancer, but we shall proceed
with hope"
There will be time enough, he said,
to isolate the element after plans for
experiments are completed. Isolation
Is simple matter for him now, he
said. It means only repeating the proc
ess evolved by Irving Langmuir OF the
General Electric Co., of feeding pro-
IO6CGl1lluul C1llUl lOC 1lltO q sdSuAA1A Cu0C
in which electrically heated tungsten
wires are glowing. The chlorine is
distilled of and free metallic proto-
actinium is deposited on the tungsten
wires.
: DR.. Won Crosse said the process is
certain, but delicate.
The illustrious young chemist is
working with the element at the Uni
versity of Chicago on a loan" from
Universal Oil Products Co. of Chicago,
for whom he otherwise does oil re-
search. He studied his chemistry in
Germany after a boyhood and youth
spent largely in China and Japan,
where his father was stationed as a
member Of the Russian diplomatic
corps.
At present no money value can be
placed on the free metallic proto-
actinium, he said. An idea may be
gained, though, from the fact that the
compound from which it Is obtained
. reduction from pitchblende, which
also holds radium-is valued at ST.
o00, 900 an ounce.
(Oopyrisht, 1895. BY the North American
Newspaper Alliance. 1nc.)