per
troy ounce, is not caused by its scarcity. Witn an assumed average
content of rhodium of 2 per cent, the possible production, assuming a
world's production of 300,000 ounces of crude platinum, would be about
6,000 fine ounces. There were no imports in 1911. A little rhodium is
produced in the United States, partly from platinum sand and partly
from Canadian and other copper bullion.
RUTHENIUM.
There
are few if any uses for ruthenium, for it is easily oxidized and
brittle, being in this respect similar to osmium. Ruthenium, to the
extent of several per cent, seems to be contained mainly in the mineral
iridosmine, but it also occurs in copper ores from Sudbury and other
places.