- Email: [email protected]
Gold, silver, and iodine in sea water
446
CURRENT TOPICS.
Abuses of the United States Patent System. L. H. ]3AEKE(f. Ind. Eng. Chem., iv, 333.)--The difficulty and expense of enforcing patent rights in the United States courts are very great, and a patent is often worthless to a man of limited resources. Successful litigants seldom recover damages for infringement, or not sufficient to cover legal expenses. The wealthy corporations are able to bluff their weaker competitors or to crush them by prolonged litigation, and the money so spent is ultimately paid by the consumer. Separate final decisions are given by each of the nine Circuit Courts of Appeal, and these decisions are not always in harmony. Evidence is not taken by testimony in open co.urt, and in one case 36 large octavo volumes of printed testimony, containing much repetition and irrelevant matter, were submitted. The proceedings in " interference " cases involving the respective rightS of inventors applying concurrently may be prolonged for years. The reforms suggested are similar to. those proposed by W. F. Rogers. LAND.
Mercury Production of the United States in i9II.
ANON.
(Oil, Paint aend Drug Reporter, June 24, r912.)--The production of mercury in 1911 in the United States was the greatest since 19o7 , the total output being 21,256 flasks of 75 pounds each, valued at $927,989, against a production of 2o,6o I flasks, valued at $958,153' in 191o. California was the greatest producer in 191I, with 18,86o flasks, valued at $867,749, and the remainder came from Nevada and Texas. The annual domestic consumption appears to be from 18,ooo to 2I,OOO flasks, or about equal to the domestic production, The decrease of domestic stocks, and higher prices in 1911, caused the heaviest importation of mercury in many years, On the other hand, exports of mercury decreased from 1,923 flasks in 191o to 291 flasks in 1911. Gold, Silver, and Iodine in Sea Water.
H . S . BLACKMORE.
(Cass. Mag., xli, 3.)--The value of the gold in a cuiJic mile of sea water is $93,I84,ooo; that of the silver is $8,644,6oo. and that of the iodine, $62,003,2oo. It is suggested that if a suitable precipitant for these elements could be found, it would be possible, by means of huge tanks automatically filled at high water and emptied at low tide, to realize large sums by their recovery. The gold and silver seem to be held in solution by the iodates and iodides of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, particularly the iodates, which tend to precipitate the gold and silver when reduced to iodides. This precipitation is gradually going on in creeks and inlets where reducing agents, such as occur in sewage, are present ; the mud in such inlets contains considerable gold.
CURRENT TOPICS.
Abuses of the United States Patent System. L. H. ]3AEKE(f. Ind. Eng. Chem., iv, 333.)--The difficulty and expense of enforcing patent rights in the United States courts are very great, and a patent is often worthless to a man of limited resources. Successful litigants seldom recover damages for infringement, or not sufficient to cover legal expenses. The wealthy corporations are able to bluff their weaker competitors or to crush them by prolonged litigation, and the money so spent is ultimately paid by the consumer. Separate final decisions are given by each of the nine Circuit Courts of Appeal, and these decisions are not always in harmony. Evidence is not taken by testimony in open co.urt, and in one case 36 large octavo volumes of printed testimony, containing much repetition and irrelevant matter, were submitted. The proceedings in " interference " cases involving the respective rightS of inventors applying concurrently may be prolonged for years. The reforms suggested are similar to. those proposed by W. F. Rogers. LAND.
Mercury Production of the United States in i9II.
ANON.
(Oil, Paint aend Drug Reporter, June 24, r912.)--The production of mercury in 1911 in the United States was the greatest since 19o7 , the total output being 21,256 flasks of 75 pounds each, valued at $927,989, against a production of 2o,6o I flasks, valued at $958,153' in 191o. California was the greatest producer in 191I, with 18,86o flasks, valued at $867,749, and the remainder came from Nevada and Texas. The annual domestic consumption appears to be from 18,ooo to 2I,OOO flasks, or about equal to the domestic production, The decrease of domestic stocks, and higher prices in 1911, caused the heaviest importation of mercury in many years, On the other hand, exports of mercury decreased from 1,923 flasks in 191o to 291 flasks in 1911. Gold, Silver, and Iodine in Sea Water.
H . S . BLACKMORE.
(Cass. Mag., xli, 3.)--The value of the gold in a cuiJic mile of sea water is $93,I84,ooo; that of the silver is $8,644,6oo. and that of the iodine, $62,003,2oo. It is suggested that if a suitable precipitant for these elements could be found, it would be possible, by means of huge tanks automatically filled at high water and emptied at low tide, to realize large sums by their recovery. The gold and silver seem to be held in solution by the iodates and iodides of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, particularly the iodates, which tend to precipitate the gold and silver when reduced to iodides. This precipitation is gradually going on in creeks and inlets where reducing agents, such as occur in sewage, are present ; the mud in such inlets contains considerable gold.