DISCOVERY OF HAFNIUM

Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 23

DISCOVERY OF HAFNIUM

ISOLATED FROM NEW ZEALAND BLACK SAND. LONDON. February 3. The discovery of a new element by Professors Coster and G. Hevesv, of Copenhagen, is arousing world wide interest. Dr Alexander Scott (Director of Scientific Research at the British Museum) examined some black sand from New Zealand, and isolated a cinnamon-cv.ioured powder which proved to be the element. Its atomic number is 72. Dr Scott says: ‘‘The Danish scientists got the ghost, but I got Hamlet.” Dr Scott hopes that the element may be useful for incandescent mantles and unmeltable crucibles, as it is allied to titanium. The isolated element was the result of treating the sand with strong sulphuric acid and hoiling it for three weeks. Finally, after a year’s occasional work, Dr Scott obtained 20 grains of what he thought was a new oxide, and he put it aside until ho heard of the spectroscopic discovery of hafnium. He then isolated the new element, [A cablegram from London on January 20 stated that Professors Coster and M. G. Hevesv, of Copenhagen, had discovered a new element, which they had named hafnium, by means of an X-rays spectrum analysis of ore containing zirconium. Ihe new element had not been isolated.]