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PLATINUM AND ALLIED METALS.
By James M. Hill.
PRODUCTION.
CRUDE PLATINUM.
Notwithstanding the lower price received for crude platinum in 1914 than in 1913, the production of both California and Oregon shows an increase over former years. In 1914 California produced 463 ounces of crude platinum which was about 80 per cent fine— that is, it contained 450 ounces refined platinum-group metals— and Oregon produced 107 ounces of crude platinum considered 70 per cent fine, containing 75 ounces refined platinum-group metals. The total of 570 ounces crude sands sold for $18,240, or approxi­mately $32 an ounce.
The yield from Oregon in 1914 was 107 ounces as compared with 22.5 ounces in 1913. This increase was due in great measure to larger operations of a few companies rather than to an increase in the number of producers, and is explained by the greater recovery resulting from the installation of more improved concentrating ma­chinery. All reports indicate that the large increase in 1914 over the production of 1913 should be at least repeated in 1915, for sev­eral companies have declared their intention of undertaking de­velopments in the beach diggings, from which most of the Oregon platinum is obtained.
In California in 1914, as heretofore, the largest output of platinum came from the gold dredges of Butte, Sacramento, and Yuba coun­ties; but the placers in Trinity and Siskiyou counties did not pro­duce as much platinum in 1914 as in 1913.
The production of gold ore carrying platinum and palladium in 1914 from the Boss mine of the Yellowpine mining district, Clark County, New, added to the domestic production 110.5 ounces of platinum and 168.16 ounces of palladium.
REFINED PLATINUM.
A considerable output of platinum is annually made in the United States from the refining of gold and copper bullion of both domestic and foreign origin.
Reports received from the refiners of platinum sands, gold bullion, and copper matte indicate that 3,430 ounces of new refined platinum were recovered by them. Of this quantity 525 ounces came from do­mestic crude placer platinum, and probably at least 2,500 ounces in all were derived from domestic sources. The 930 ounces unaccounted for were obtained from foreign material which is treated in this country and not reported elsewhere.
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