A SUBSTITUTE FOR GOLD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue VII, 20 November 1889, Page 3

A SUBSTITUTE FOR GOLD.

The (Centenary of the discovery of uranium by Klaproth beg just been marked by the finding of a continuous lode at the Union mine. Gramponnd road, Cornwall, which ia believed to be the only known lode m tbe world. This discovery is re£& T ded as unique m tbe history of the meta. 1 . for the lode is what ia known as a true fiVsure vein, and Iho ore is found to contain &J 1 average of 12 per cent of the pore metal", #» assaya goln^f up as high •a 30 per cent id some parts of the lode. Several tons of 'ha ore have already been raised and cC'd, fetching high pricesi The lode travewea the mine from north to eoutb, and the uranium occurs m it chiefly &s a BOEqui-ox'de. It is anticipated that the present discovery will enable two important applications of tbe metal to be fallowed tip. The first ia as a substitute for gold m electroplated ware, inasmuch as with platinum and copper it forms two beautiful alloyi, each having the appearance of gold, and the former aleo resisting the aotion of acids, The second application v m connection with electric Installations, where its usefulness consists m Its .high elec'.rioal resistance. The raiity of tri^s metal is indicated by its /naiket prkfe, which is about £2400 per ton. There £ T e several oxides of it ; but the best anrit most important is tbe sesquioxide, wirfds forms a number of beautuul yellow salts'.- This oxide is largely employed for imu&rting deiicate golden and greeaiih yellow tints to glass, while the protoxide is munh use£ m producing the costly black porcelain. It Is found m Cornwall, Saxony, and Bohemia, but hitherto bas only been met with ir Isolated pockets and patches,