Abstract
SINCE the publication of the letter “On the Missing Element of Atomic Number 72,” by Dr. Coster and Prof. Hevesey, in NATURE of January 20, p. 79, it has been announced that Dr. Alexander Scott detected and separated the oxide several years ago. It appears that while examining in 1913 a specimen of titaniferous iron sand (75 per cent. Fe3O4, 25 per cent. TiO2) from near Maketu in the North Island, New Zealand, Dr. Scott noticed that in the titanium dioxide separated in the ordinary methods of analysis there was always a small residue which resisted all attempts to get it into solution, either as sulphate, chloride, or nitrate. Neither would it go into solution after prolonged fusion with caustic soda. No trace of the many “rare earths” was found in the sand. The insoluble residue remaining after repeated and alternated fusions with sodium bisulphate and caustic soda was labelled “New Oxide “in 1918. Its properties and mode, of occurrence indicated that it was an oxide of the titanium-zirconium group, and that it was the oxide of the missing element, of which the atomic number is 72. Some of its properties showed a resemblance to tantalum, its next neighbour, with the atomic number 73; but all traces of this element would be removed by the repeated fusions with caustic soda. As none of the ordinary salts were available for the purpose of determining the atomic weight, recourse was had to the double fluoride with potassium, which closely resembles those of titanium and zirconium. The rough determinations with material imperfectly purified for such a purpose indicated that the atomic weight of the element was between i? and 2 times that of zirconium (90-6). The oxide resulting from these determinations was of a cinnamon-brown colour, not white as was expected. We understand that Dr. Scott wrote on January 28, to Drs. Coster and Hevesey offering to send them specimens of his separated material to compare with their own, and received a reply from them on Saturday night last (Februa 3) saying they would be very glad to do so. On Monday Dr, Scott sent to them i practically all his purified material, and not only he, but also all scientific men, must await with keen interest the result of the searching examination by means of the powerful appliances in their hands for spectral analysis by X-rays. In view of the source of his oxide and its association with much titanium oxide, Dr. Scott has suggested, as Oceanus was one of the Titans, that “Oceaniuni “would be a suitable name for the element. This name would also recall that the sand came from Oceania, of which New Zealand is one of the component parts.
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Current Topics and Events. Nature 111, 195–197 (1923). https://doi.org/10.1038/111195a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/111195a0