A NEW OXIDE.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 February 1923, Page 5

A NEW OXIDE.

VALUABLE DISCOVERY, FOUND IN BLACK SAND. NEW ZEALAND DEPOSITS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Feb. 3, 5.5 p.m. London, F6b. 2. The announcement of the isolation of a new oxide, called hafnium, froni black sand from New ealand, by Dr. Alexander Scott (Director of Scientific Research at the British Museum), iri a London Irbqratory, speedily followed a statemenu by Copenhagen chemists that they had ascertained the existence of an unknown element of a metal group in which titanium and zirconium occur, but they, had not yet isolated the element;. Dr. Scott announces that he has beeij ••analysing New Zealand black.sand sine* 1913, but ha* been too busy to examine the deposit which has been collecting until he heard of the Copenhagen di*« co very, when fests proved that the ox< ide he had obtained was hafnium. This achievement is regarded as th< most important «ince the isolation o| radium. It is pointed out that tha black sand deposit in New Zealand seven miles long and of unknown depth. If hafnium is commercially valuable am) it can be produced in bulk, it may valuable in making gas mantles. Dr. Scott suggests oberonium as < better name than hafnium. Dr. Scott has been constantly con< suited by Lord Carnarvon regarding preservation of the Tutankhamen relic** Time*. FURTHER DETAILS. RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENT. AN UNMELTABLE PRODUCT, Received Feb. 4, 5.5 pm. London, Jan. 3. The discovery of a new element by Professors Coster and G. Hevesy, of Copeni hagen, is arousing world-wide intereat. Dr. Alexander. Scott examined black sand from New Zealand and isolated a cinnamoncolored powder,, which proved to be aqj clement of the attonic No. 72. As Dr. Scott says: “The Danish scientists got the ghost, but I have got the Hamlet.’’ Dr. Scott hopes that the element may be useful for incandescent mantles. It is unmeltable in crucibles, aa it is allied tq titanium. The isolated element was the result of treating the sand with strong sulphuric acid and boiling it for three weeks. Finally, after years of occasional work, Dr. Scott obtained 20 grains of what he thought was a new oxide. He put it aside until he heard of the spectroscopic discovery of hafnium, and he then isolated the new element.