Platinum production in 1914 Page 41



	336	MINERAL RESOURCES, 1914----PART I.

	metal itself are impure, carrying iron, gold, and silver. Ordinarily the valuable metallic content of the California sands is about 80 per cent by weight, but in 1914 some sands carrying as much as 85 per cent metal were produced. The Oregon sands are estimated to be 70 per cent fine. The proportion of the platinum metals recovered from crude sands in 1914 was about 51 per cent platinum, 3 per cent iridium, and 30 per cent iridosmine or osmiridium. The price received for domestic crude platinum in 1914 varied between $30 and $32 an ounce troy, the higher figure being accepted as most nearly representing the majority of sales. Russian.—Russian crude platinum, which contains approximately 83 per cent metal, sold for about $35.50 an ounce at Petrograd up to July, 1914. No quotations are available for the remainder of the year. During 1915 Russian quotations ranged from approximately $30 at the first of the year to $32 in June. According to reports¹ considerable crude platinum is now held by Russian banks, which advanced about 80 per cent of its value to the producers. IMPORTS. The following table shows the imports for consumption into the United States of platinum in 1905-1914: Platinum imported for consumption into the United States, 1905-1914.



	The great decrease in the imports of platinum is due to the unsettled conditions abroad. The embargo placed upon the export of platinum from Russia at the outbreak of the war resulted in greatly reducing the quantity of refined and manufactured platinum shipped from France and England, and the shipments from Germany apparently stopped. The decrease in imports of crude ore in 1914 from those of 1913 amounted to 18,638 ounces, or a little over 38 per cent; in unmanufactured platinum, ingots, and bars, the decrease was 29,770 ounces, or almost 43 per cent. The imports of manufactured plati- iMin. Jour. (London), vol. 104, p. 180, 1914; vol. 108, pp. 171-172, 1915.