Show precious AJ us metals in in great battle e struggle for world supremacy being waged by gold and platinum washington news of a platinum rush in transvaal south africa la Is virtually a war bulletin from the front in a grent great battle between two metals tor for world supremacy gold cold tile the undisputed monarch of metals since civilization began faces the challenge of platinum in a part of its domain says bays it a bulletin of tile the national geographic society from its headquarters in washington but platinum has not won the war of precious metals not by n great margin except in the orient the worlds monetary system Is still a loyal thrall to its ita liege lord gold twice platinum has tailed failed in the attempt to lure golds gold staunchest eta d defender to desert As early as aa IM 1828 czarist russia tried platinum coinage only to give it up in 1845 soviet russia announced that platinum the arc pretender would back its currency but recently the soviet has returned to the gold standard A mlle mile strand each contender r in the battle of metals Is versatile and Is out outstanding 9 in those qualities of character tor for which metals are admired not th the least of their trials ot of strength ha have ve been held in the arenas of modern chemical laboratories gold proudly maintains it can spread it itself a e I 1 f out more than any other metal an ounce of gold beaten into gold leaf will cover square feet platinum counters with the challenge that it can stretch farther than any other known metal A cubic inch of platinum drawn into wire practically invisible to tile the human eye would make a strand of wiro wire miles long in other words one cubic inch of platinum can be stretched out to encircle the earth at the equator tricel both platinum and gold resist corrosion in ordinary atmosphere both are malleable but here gold tills the advantage both are heavy metals but platinum weighs in slightly beav heavier cr platinum was once thought to be tile the only substance which could not be dissolved so ived later investigations prove that aqua regla nitric and hydro hydrochloric chlo ric nold can conquer it but its rest resistance sta entitles entities it to on an important place in scientific and laboratory work gold melts at 1045 degrees degreed fahrenheit platinum at degrees helped prolong the war platinum 1 Is an important that la Is a chemical middleman this property alone probably served to prolong the world war two or three thre years eyears more than it would have lasted As aa a platinum helps make nitrates out of nitrogen in the air germany was cut oil off from collenn nitrates during the war and it if it had not been for the supply she secured through the offices of electricity and platinum she would have run out ot of explosives long before 1018 if lydenberg in the transvaal proves a good field platinum will find quick use for it to fill fall in a big gap in her lines for the original major sou source ace of the precious metal la Is running out before 1014 more than 00 per cent of the worlds platinum clime came out of the russian mines near in the ural mountains but the best gravels there have been worked and now nov the world looks to colombia in south america other deposits are known some even in the united states but the amounts are slim tiny anny place platinum like moat mos t natural resources Is no respecter of man made border lines and Is apparently not even ps p about the continent where it takes up lodging neither platinum nor gold Is the most precious mett 1 in the estimation of the world that thai honor Is reserved for radium which nas ins been recently reduced in price to per arn arnin in i a price equivalent to per ounce iridium a companion of platinum Is tile the second most expensive metal in beveral use it Is selling for per ounce and thi hi demand for it Is very active because it la in needed tor for platinum jewelry platinum la Is selling gelling for or per ounce |