Exports of U . S. mined sulfur, mean while, continue t o lag below t h e record 1,675,331 long tons exported i n 1956. This went to 37 countries, the largest markets in point of tonnage being Canada, United Kingdom, France, and Australia, in that order. Our exports to Canada were 400,000 long tons. The $ 3 per ton reduction by domestic companies applied t o t h e U. S. and Canada, as well as to other foreign markets. T h e original announcements led to some confusion. T h e initial ac tion was thought to apply only to the home market a n d to Canada. Freeport made t h e cut universal a n d TGS fol lowed. This left unchanged t h e price parity for domestic F r a s c h sulfur sold here a n d abroad, while Mexican be came higher as the result of t h e price slash here. Metric Tons, • Lower S a l e s . Agitation growing 1956 Destination out of price changes in basic materials 236,134 United States like sulfur reaches into the financial 48f781 United Kingdom markets and disturbs stockholder rela 42f981 South A f r i c a tions. At t h e Texas Gulf Sulphur meet 59,613 ing in Houston the other day, for ex France ample, disgruntled stockholders charged 41,257 Australia mismanagement. I t h a d been pre 5 1 Germany dicted at t h e meeting t h a t sales by 3,r 0 5 2 Tunis TGS for 1957 would drop to $68 20, 187 Netherlands million from $84,6 million i n 1956. 1 1 1, 7 0 1 Belgium Shipments would a m o u n t t o ahout 15,834 Sweden 2,400,000 long tons, d o w n 14%. 1,034 • Ιο Canada "We don't know if prices have gone 9,248 India low enough to compete with other pro 489,873 Total ducers," said t h e chairman, F i e d M. Nelson. This statement tends to em Source: British Sulphur C o r p . , Ltd. phasize the gravity of t h e U. S.—Mexi can competition in sulfur. Before t h e price c u t w a s made gen Mexico pushes exports to new high, but market re eral for domestic a n d foreign consum ers, it was thought that a higher over mains unsettled as result of price slash seas price would indicate a willingness to compete in the world markets at a time. Pan-American Sulphur now O E L D O M in t h e history of the chemical higher level. At t h a t time Seymour industry has a price change stirred u p quotes $24 a ton for filtered grade to Schwartz, N e w York sulfur consultant, more discussion than the recent $ 3 p e r all new customers, F O B Coatzacoalcos. said that t h e price cuts again empha ton reduction in domestic-mined sulfur. Gulf Sulphur's price is as announced size t h e need for improved technol T h e action, taken b y Texas Gulf Sul soon after TGS cut t h e p r i c e - $ 2 3 F O B ogy "and in implementing cost reduc p h u r and Freeport Sulphur, brought for filtered grade "loaded and trimmed tion programs on the part of t h e various the price to U . 3 . a n d foreign consum Coatzacoalcos." and prospective producers in all coun In 1956 Mexico exported a total of ers down t o $23.50 p e r long ton at t h e tries." 489,873 metric tons of sulfur to a mines, a n d to $25 at shipping ports. • Recovery Predicted. "The sulfur T h e price issue became quite hot b e dozen markets, including 236,134 tons users, of course, particularly those in cause it was ostensibly aimed a t t h e to the U. S. T h e largest share by far the United States a n d t h e British Com Mexican producers, whose expanding was supplied b y Pan-American Sulphur monwealth," h e adds, "stand t o gain b y industry is increasing exports to mar Co. (175,460 tons), t h e remainder by the recent moves. What the next Mexican Gulf Sulphur Co. a n d t h e kets here a n d abroad by leaps a n d moves will be, together with their in bounds. Companies operating below Gulf Sulphur Corp., according to itial a n d later consequences, will b e the Rio Grande, however, did n o t , at British Sulphur Corp., London. the more interesting picture." • U. S.—Mexican Exports. An as least openly, follow the price cut, a n d In reporting lower earnings for tihe the issue took o n a few more degrees tounding increase has taken place this first nine months, Jefferson Lake Sul year in Mexican exports, to more than of temperature. phur said that like all industry, every 800,000 metric tons, according t o esti • Mexican Prices. Mexican price situation remains confused at press mates received in the domestic trade. sulfur project is experiencing contin-
MARKETS
Mexican Sulfur —
Competition ier
42
C&EN
D E C . 9,
1957
W E E K ' S PRICE CHANGES Dec . 2 , 1957 Advances CURRENT
C o c o n u t oil, c o a s t , l b . C o p r a , coast, t o n C o r n oil, lb. Crude, tanks Crude, tanks, Ν. Υ. C o t t o n s e e d oil, Valley, l b . DDT*, flake, tech.. cits., l b . G u m rosin, w a t e r w h i t e , F.A.S., cwt. Molasses, blackstrap, N e w Orleans, gal. P a l m oil, tanks, lb. P e a n u t oil, l b . Crude, tanks Ref. tanks
PBEVIOUS
S 0.13V4 S 0.13VB 165.00 170.00 0.15V« 0.1898 0.14V*
0.14V4 0.1848 0.14
0.21
0.19
8.25
8.15
0.11V* 0.126O
0.11 0.1250
O.I6V2 0.20
0.16 0.19 V*
3.00
3.25
Declines Aloin, l b . C a d m i u m l i t h o p o n e , lb. L i g h t red Medium red D a r k red Maroon dark O r a n g e red Cocoa butter, lb. G r e a e e , -white, l b . Selenium, 99.5%, l b . S i l v e r b u l l i o n , oz. Tallow, fancy, white, l b . Tin metal, lb. T i n saltBj l b . PotasBium s t a n n a t e Sodium stannate Stannous chloride, anhyd.
1.89 2.26 2.61 2.88 1.57 0.95 0.08»/i 7.50 0.90 O.O8V2 0.87V8
2.05 2.54 2.93 3.27 1.66 0.98 0.09 10.5O 0.9OVe O.O8V4 0.883/8
0.724 0.573
0.728 0.579
0.922
0.928
New
AO-Baker NINTEFRENCEew Text
MICROSCOPE
•Single producer
u e d increases in operating costs. T o day's known proven reserves of ele mental sulfur, stockholders w e r e told, have a shorter life based on current consumption than did t h e proven known reserves of 25 years ago. H i g h e r prices will be seen in t h e not too distant future, t h e company asserts.
Magnus, Mabee and Reynard, N e w York, issued its price catalog for winter, 1957-58, covering flavors, perfume oils, certified colors, and aromatic chemicals. C a r b o r u n d u m Metals Co., Akron, and Ν . Υ., effected a further price re duction for reactor grade zirconium sponge, effective immediately. New price is $7.50 p e r pound for 1000p o u n d lots, one-third of its 1953 price of $22 per pound, and the third reduc tion in the metal in four years. Union Carbide Chemicals, N e w York, issued a n e w price schedule for butyl acrylate and ethylhexylacrylate. T h e new tank car price for b u t y l acry late is 55 cents p e r pound, d o w n 10 cents. T h e ethylhexyl product in t a n k cars is 50 cents per pound, d o w n 5 cents from the previous schedule. Pacific Coast Borax Co., division of U . S. Borax a n d Chemical, will a d v a n c e borax by a b o u t 5%> on Jan. 1.
The N E W AO-Baker Interference Microscope is the unique combination of a double beam interferometer and polarizing microscope. It dramatically provides for the precise examination of transparent specimens where detail is exhibited by variations in thickness or refractive index. W i t h white light illumination, contrast effects are greatly enhanced by brilliant and variable color contrasts. Details show upas if differentially stained. W i t h m o n o c h r o m a t i c or filtered light, interference contrasts can b e varied from bright to dark and relative optical thicknesses are measurable to a n opti mum accuracy of 1/300 wave length. Interference C o n t r a s t Microscopy like Phase Contrast Microscopy depends on the nature o f the specimen detail to retard liglic —by virtue of refractive index and thickness — and does not depend on the property of the specimen to absorb light. In this connection the AO-Baker Interference Microscope is similar to the con ventional Phase Contrast Microscope. The principle of the Phase Contrast Micro· s c o p e depends upon light diffrac tion for its contrast effects — the AO-Baker Interference Microscope does not. By means of the unique built-in interferometer, mutually interfering beams are pro duced, recombined, and if the two beams suffer relative retardation, readily visible contrast results. The AO-Baker Interference Microscope h a s already won acclaim and recog nition as an important aid to the solution of a. great variety o f biological and in dustrial microscopical problems. Most scienriiic workers were initially of the opinion that the Interference Microscope would have its greatest utility for solving measurement problems. It now develops that equal or greater promise can be ex pected from its value as a method of variable phase and variable color contrast. If you need to examine or measure your material more effectively and precisely, ive invite you to investigate this new advance in microscopy. American O p t i c a l · Instrument Division Buffalo 15, N e w Y o r k Dept.X194
American Optical Company
Please send me your catalog on the NE W *40-Baker Interference Microscope.
INSTRUMENT DIVISION, BUFFALO 15, Ν . Υ. ADDRESSCITY...
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