The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-08-14

BIS, IS COlIlQent tkleSe meCalB COul0 be obtained, however, from domes- tic sources.
 Most of the metals actually are available in the United States, or at least in the Western Hemi- sphere" he said. "Where the met. als especially desired are not avail able in suitable quantity Or quality from domestic sources others can replace them, although at an i|- creased cost"
 He said that tungsten, important in steel making and electrical man. ufacttire, could be replaced by molybdenuin, of which the United States has a world monopoly.
 Only one-half the weight of molybdenum is necessary to obtain approximately equal physical prop critics as tungsten. However, 1t Is somewhat more difficult to handle. But this disadvantage Is overcome by the saving of strategic material and the release of tungsten for many other uses.
 Tungsten Carbides Increase.
 Perhaps one of the most impor- tant of these uses is the ever-wid- ering field of tungsten carbides which are extremely hard nateri. ais used fn cutting and grinding operations. Production economy Is effected in certain of their uses.
 Eisenman believes that the use of cemented tungsten carbides in machine tool operations will be in- creasingly valuable in preparing metals for aircraft parts, armor for mechailized units, and shells.
 Another vital metal of which the United States does considerable iin- porting from South America and Russia Is manganese, also used in steel manufacturing. If these sources were severed the United States could obtain sufficient quan- titles from large deposits in Cuba and South America, according to Eisenman.
 Recent attention has been given to electrolytic processing of low- grade deposits in the western por- ton of the United States, Eiseninan pointed out.
 He added, however, that tre- mendous expense and lack of plants large enough to bring production up to the country's needed capa- cities make domestic sources of little immediate use to fill defense needs.
 Mercury Inflow Halted.
 Eisenman cites still another ex- a aH S,fko1 Aka1 ssy1atAtH be produced in this country and which hitherto has been imported.
 Mercury currently is imported from Spain and Italy at 6 cost of about $l80 for flask of 76 pounds. Recent war developments have barred Spanish and Italian ports to American ships.
 If shortage of other carriers should close this market or greatly restrict 1t, mercury can be pro- duced in this country, according to Eisenman, by using charcoal and mercury sulphid, and at present prices domestic production Is cer- tain to increase.
 Dr. Fay Jeffries, former presi- dent of the American Society for Metals and recognized as a world authority on metals, says that two metals which find extensive use today ip airplane manufacture were little known in the early days of the World War. They are stain. less steel and magnesium. He de- clared raw supplies of magnesium are practically unlimited in the United States.
 Between 1914 and l9is," he said, magnesium was not used as base metal for alloys. It was produced on a small scale and used largely in pyrotechnics such as night flares and fiashlight DOW. ders. It also was used to a certain extent as an alloy ingredient in aluminium base metals.
 Magnesium Alloys Plentiful
 "At present magnesium base al- Joys are widely used in aircraft construction. The supply is unlim- tied as to raw materials"
 He pointed out that strong alu- minum alloys. either forged and heat treated or cast and heat treated, are used for wheel SUD- porting members, gas tanks, fuel and hydraulic pumps and fuel equipment, while aluminium fore- ings 90 into such products as pro- pellers. pistons and crankcases. Aluminium clad metals. with sur- faces of pure aluminium, are used for wing and fuselage covers, tail construction and similar units.
 According to E. E. Thum, editor of Metal Progress. journal of the American Society for Metals. stainless steel first was made by accident in a wartime British lab- oratory where metallurglsts were experimenting to discover a strong. erosion-proof alloy for lining big guns.
 Thum believes that any shortage of metals that might develop can be obviated by the use of the same or other metals but taken from domestic sources at an increased cost of production and use.
 He said that prieg to lef7 the fTuftes1 Efnhma had mm9fma ms. Amm