A NEW DISCOVERY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 24, 5 March 1914, Page 7

A NEW DISCOVERY.

TO PRESERVE CORDITE.

By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright, LONDON, March 4.

The greatest secrecy is being maintained in regard to a discovery for tho preservation of cordite from deterioration in hot climates. The treatment is based on molybdenum. In view of previous cordite losses the French authorities are enquiring into the deposits of molybdenum in Australia, and within a month the price of the ore has risen from £3 15/- to £5 10/-. Supplies are not obtainable.

[Molybdenum is a little gray metallic element (specific gravity 8.6) occurring chiefly in the somewhat . rare mineral molybdenum glance. It is prepared bv reduction of its oxide by aluminium, and has its most important, compound in the oxide Moo 3, from which the molybdates are derived., Ammonium molybdate is used as a test, for phosphoric acid and sodium molybdate for producing blue on china, In traces it is. encountered in some steels. Chemically it'is'allied to chroninium and tungsten in group Vl.]