A Substitute for Gold.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6706, 20 November 1889, Page 4

A Substitute for Gold.

The centenary of tho discovery of uranium by Ktaproth ha 3 just been marked by the finding o£ a continuous lode at the Union mine, Gratnpound road, Cornwall, which ia believed to be the only known lode in the world. Thin discovery ia regarded as unique in the history of the metal, for the lode iB what ia known as a true fissure vein, and the ore is found to contain an average of 12 per cent if the pure metal, the assays going up as high as 30 per cent in some parts of the lode. Several tons of the ore have already been raised and sold, fetching high prices. The lode traverses the mine from North to South, and the uranium occurs in ifc chiefly as a ee3quioxide- It is anticipated that the present discovery will enable two important applications of tho metal to bo followed ; up. The first is # a 8 a substitute for gold ' in electroplated 'ware, inasmuch as with platinum and copper it forma two beautiful alloys, each having the appearance of gold, i and the former also resisting the action of [ acids. The second application ia in connection with electric installations, where its usefulness consists in its high electrical resistance. The rarity of this metal i 3 I indicated by its market price, which ia about J62400 per ton. There arc several oxides of it; but the best known and most i important ib the sesqui-oxide, which forms . a number of beautiful yellow salts. This j oxide ia largely employed for imparting delicate golden and greenish yellow tints j to glass, while the protoxide is much used > in producing the costly black porcelain. It , is found in Cornwall, Saxony, andßohemia, I but hitherto has only been met within r isolated pockets and patches.