PLATINUM AND ALLIED METALS 1 By JAMES M. HILL 1 PRODUCTION CRUDE PLATINUM Mine returns for 1923 indicate a production of 7 troy ounces of crude placer platinum in Alaska, 578 ounces in California, and 24 ounces in Oregon, a total of 609 ounces for the United States. In 1922 Alaska produced 39 ounces, California 916 ounces, and Oregon 53 ounces. Platinum refiners report purchases of domestic platinum in 1923 as follows: Alaska, 29 ounces; California, 707 ounces; Oregon, 63 ounces; Washington, 1 ounce a total of 800 ounces, which is 258 ounces less than was purchased by refiners in 1922. Refiners also report purchases of 54,741 ounces of foreign crude platinum in 1923, including 1,007 ounces from Australia, 10 ounces from Canada, 48,727 ounces from Colombia, and 4,997 ounces from Russia. As reported by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Department of Commerce, the imports of platinum from Colombia during 1923 were 32,278 ounces, and the total imports of unmanufac tured platinum 86,417 ounces, a decrease of 9 per cent, as compared with imports in 1922. REFINED PLATINUM METALS NEW METALS Reports of refiners of crude platinum, gold bullion, nickel, and copper indicate that 49,797 ounces of platinum metals were recovered from these sources in 1923, a decrease of 7,921 ounces as compared with the recoveries in 1922. It is estimated that of the total quantity, 3,472 ounces was derived from domestic sources. New platinum metals recovered by refiners in the United States in 1919-1923, in Miss Helen M. Gaylord, of the United States Geological Survey, assisted in the preparation of this report. New platinum metals recovered by refiners in the United States in 1922-23, by sources, in troy ounces Secondary platinum metals are those recovered from the treatment of scrap metal, sweeps, and other waste products of manufacture that contain platinum. Although the figures given in the following table undoubtedly contain some duplication, it is believed that they are worth publishing, for the secondary metals constitute a considerable proportion-21 per cent in 1923 of the total platinum metals available for consumption in the United States. Secondary platinum metals recovered in the United States, 1919-1923, in troy ounces IMPORTS AND EXPORTS 1a The imports of platinum metals for consumption in 1923 were approximately 3 per cent less in quantity than in 1922 and 36 per cent greater than in 1921. Platinum metals imported for consumption in the United States, 1922–23 1922 Classification in 1923 is "Manufactures of, except jewelry." Platinum metals imported into the United States in 1923, by countries, in troy • Exclusive of 103 ounces of platinum in manufactures. The metal imported from Panama and Colombia (33,059 ounces) is crude, and the imports from Esthonia, Latvia, and Sweden are believed to be crude and of Russian origin, the total platinum from Russia being 8,389 ounces. Part of the metal from England, France, and Germany is doubtless Russian crude, but the bulk is probably refined metal. The data for imports and exports were compiled by J. A. Dorsey, of the United States Geological Survey, from the records of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Department of Commerce. The largest exports of platinum ingot, sheet, and alloys in 1923 went to France, Canada, and Argentina (500, 404, and 140 troy ounces, respectively), and Canada and Argentina took the bulk of the manufactured platinum (439 and 119 troy ounces, respectively). CONSUMPTION The consumption of platinum metals in the United States in 1923, as reported by refiners, was 190,783 ounces, an increase of 4 per cent over 1922. The dental industry increased its consumption of platinum, palladium, and iridium. In the jewelry industry there was a large increase in the consumption of iridium and a still greater increase in palladium. Osmium is being used in increasing amounts for the preparation of an alloy that is substituted for native osmiridium for pointing gold pens. It has been found impossible to reconcile the figures showing the consumption of 190,783 ounces of the platinum metals, as given by refiners, with those showing the apparent consumption of 153,011 ounces, as calculated by the method used in preparing the second table below or by any variants of that method. It is believed that there is considerable duplication in the figures for consumption given by refiners, but so far no means have been found to avoid this source of error, and the figures thus supplied give the only measure of consumption by industries. In the method of calculation used in determining the "apparent supply" there is a source of error in the assumption of the quantity of platinum imported in the refined state. Nevertheless, this method is believed to give a fair measure of the quantity of platinum metals consumed. It seems probable that the actual consumption was about 175,000 ounces. |