Evening star., 1942-01-11
WarCuts OFF Sources
OF Dozen Minerals
Vital 10 U. ). Industry
Synthetics and Stock Pile.
Will Offset Some Losses;
South America Nay Help
Rourth Of . Series.)
By THOMAS r. HENRY.

3N IdOWhS NJ 1AG1NA4s
America now Is cut OIL from prin-
cipal sources Of supplies Of . dozen
vital minerals.
Most of them are used In rela.
lively small quantities. but they are
essential to war industries and
many of the comforts Of daily LIE.
In q few cases the loss can be
offset by fairly satisfactory syn
thetic products; in others the Gov
ernment has built up stock piles In
the last two years. Development
of hitherto unexpected South
American deposits eventually may
20 far to make up some OF the
losses.
The list includes mica. antimony
asbestos. cobalt, titanium. zircon-
ium, diamonds. graphite. mangan-
ese, tungsten, chrome and tin.
Not since stove-heating days
have urban Americans had much
visible contact with mica In the
form of the thin. transparent
sheets known as isinglass which
formed the windows of the stove
doors. But year after year, with the
development of the radio and the
automobile, it has increased In in
dustrial importance and there Is
no entirely satisfactory substitute
for it. The mineral is essential for
airplane spark plugs and for radio
cOudenSeYs and tubes.
Mica Comes From India.
Nearly all the mica for these
essential purposes comes either
from the Bengal region Of India or
from Madagascar. Supplies from
either source will be very di1ncult
to secure. Last year the United
States imported 4,335 tons-about
twice the normal requirement. Most
OF 1t, presumably. has gone into a
stock pile where it hardly will be
available for any but essential war
industries.
There is some loW-grade mica
production in the United States and
Canada and some in Brazil. but it
is not considered suitable for the
finest industrial uses.
-Four years ago there was patented
q synthetic mica made from the clay
bentonite and it since has been con-
siderably improved. It Is not yet
considered suitable, however, for
high-grade spark plugs and radio
tubes.
Antimony From Latin America.
American industry uses each year
about $4,000 tons of the hard, silver
white metal antirnony. This is al
most half the world supply, whereas
only about l per cent Is mined In
this country. About 70 per cent of
the total In normal times comes from
China, which stopped exporting in
1889. There are considerable anti
mony resources in Latin America
whose production has jumped in a
few years from about 1000 to 10000
tons.
This supply probably will take
care Of the situation. The Govern
ment is believed to have considerable
stocks. The general public seldom
comes into close contact with anti
mony. but depends on it every day.
The lead used in storage battery
plates contains four to IL per cent of
the metal. 1t forms part of the bab-
bitt metal used in bearings, of the
type metal essential for printing
newspapers. Small amounts are es-
sential in safety matches apd in
paints.
The Army needs it for sl1rapnel
balls. bullet cores for rifles and prim-
ing mixtures for decorating caps.
Fairly large stores are on hand.
Processes have been developed by
which it can be recovered from bat
tery plates.
Asbestos From Africa.
America imports. chiefly from
Canada and South Africa, 80 per
cent of the 800, 1000 tons Of asbestos
used every year. It is essential for
fireproof curtains, brake and clutch
Innings, and covers for heating pipes.
For most uses, the Canadian supply
Is adequate and can be increased.
indispensable In industry Is the
heavy metal cobalt, used chiefly IN
hardening steel. The finest grades
cannot be made without 1t and the
average requirement has been about
50 tons a month. All is imported.
About 80 per cent has come from
the Belgian Congo after being proc
essed in Belgium. There are large
cobalt deposits IN Northern ontario
but they are not sufficient to meet
American demands and 1t will be
necessary to divert energy and ma
teriak for processing plants.
Manufacturers saw the cobalt
shortage ahead and, in 1898 and
1899, imports amounted to about 80
tons q month. During 1910, how