U.S. Mineral Output Sets Another Record Value of 1965 mineral production totals $21.3 billion Value of the nation's mineral output totaled $21.3 billion in 1965, setting a new high for the fourth consecutive year. Estimates by the Bureau of Mines show that mineral output of the U.S. for the year was valued at $800 million more than output in 1964. Moreover, 1965 was the seventh straight year of growth in the value of minerals produced by American industry. The high rate of mineral industry operations and the many projects under way at the close of the year "augur well" for continuing advances in 1966, BuMines notes. According to the bureau's figures, every major domestic mineral commodity except uranium and anthracite was produced in greater volume during 1965 than in 1964. Value growth rates for all three major groups of minerals—metals, nonmetals, and fuels—
1965 Production (Preliminary est.)
Per Cent Gain over 1964
Crude petroleum, millions of bbls.
2,846 1.4*
Natural gas, billions of cubic feet
16,432 5.7
Bituminous coal
507
4
25
7
3.2
9
33.3
5
1.5
17
2.7
8
Phosphate rock, millions of tons Potassium salts (K 2 0 eq.), millions of tons Sodium chloride, millions of tons Sodium carbonate, millions of tons Aluminum, millions of tons Magnesium, millions of 0.08
1
Lead, millions of tons
tons
0.29
3
Zinc, millions of tons
0.61
6
Copper, millions of tons
1.36
9
Silver, millions of ounces
38.3 0.6
Iron ore, millions of 86
long tons Source:
16
U.S. Dept. of Interior
C&EN
JAN.
3,
1966
2
closely paralleled those of 1964. The value of metals production was spurred by price increases for several commodities, and rose 10%. For nonmetals, where prices, for the most part, held steady, the value gain was nearly 4 % ; for fuels, by far the largest mineral group, the increase in value was 3 % . The largest gainer in the fuels group in production volume was natural gas, which went up 5.7% to 16,432 billion cubic feet. Both gas and oil have been eating away at anthracite markets. Anthracite production fell off 10% in 1965. Bituminous coal output was up 4%, and the outlook remains bright for further market expansion in 1966. Domestic crude petroleum production was up 1% to 2846 million barrels. Among the nonmetals, an unusually strong growth trend in sulfur and fertilizer materials continued in 1965. Recovery of elemental sulfur from natural gas and crude oil exceeded 1 million tons, and, for the first time, Frasch process sulfur output passed the 6 million ton mark. Even so, total demand for sulfur (domestic and export) exceeded new supplies, and there were heavy withdrawals from producers' stocks. Phosphate rock production increased 7% and potassium salts 9%. Other mineral chemicals fared well, also. Sodium chloride consumption was up 5%, and natural sodium carbonate increased in production for the fourth year—17% over 1964. Most major metals showed strong gains in output, and BuMines notes a tight supply-demand picture in several cases. For instance, despite a record mine production of 1.36 million tons in 1965, copper is still in short supply. Increases in production and price spurred total value to $969 million. Demand for lead and zinc reached a new high. Although the sale of government stocks added to the available supply, producers' stocks were down to about one week's consumption at the end of the year. Production of aluminum, 1965's price problem child, rose sharply to 2.74 million tons, an 8% increase. Current plans for government stockpile reduction call for disposal of 1.5 million tons over 10 to 12 years. BuMines notes a strong demand for specialty metals. Only uranium declined in 1965—4.3 million tons, down about 24% from 1964.
Herter Seeks New Bases For Benzenoid Tariffs May negotiate American selling price method to speed Kennedy round American selling price may be on the way out as the basis for setting duty on imports of benzenoid (coal tar) chemicals. The President's Special Representative for Trade Negotiations, Christian A. Herter, has asked the Tariff Commission to propose alternatives to the controversial ASP tariff procedure. The Tariff Commission proposals will be used to help the Administration decide whether to negotiate ASP at the long-stalled Kennedy round of tariff negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), Mr. Herter says. One of the major obstacles to tariff negotiations on chemicals in the Kennedy
Drug May Help Explain Biochemistry of Memory Magnesium pemoline, a central nervous system stimulant, may help define the biochemical basis of learning and memory, Abbott Laboratories' Dr. A. J. Glasky said last week at the Berkeley, Calif., meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The compound—a combination of 2-imino-5-phenyl-4-oxazolidinone and magnesium hydroxideenhances ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis in brain matter, animal studies show. This is accomplished by boosting the activity of the enzyme, RNA polymerase, though the mechanism involved has not been confirmed. Animal behavior trials, meanwhile, show an apparent link between treatment with the drug and faster learning by rats, as well as with longer retention of what has been learned. Testing with human subjects has begun, but no results are yet available from Abbott Laboratories (North Chicago, 111.), whose Dr. Nicholas Plotnikoff synthesized the compound. Dr. Glasky and Dr. L. N. Simon of Illinois State Pediatrics Institute have used a radiotracer technique to measure drug-induced changes in RNA polymerase activity. Rats were first injected with 0.02 mg. of the drug per gram of body weight. Controls received saline solution. The animals
round has been opposition to the ASP principle, which currently affects about 4% of American chemical imports. For most imports into the U.S., customs duties are determined in one of two ways: a flat fee assessed on
each item or a percentage of the value of the item. The value used for customs purposes is the value of the product at the time of exportation from the foreign country. However, for four classes of products—benzenoid chemicals, rubbersoled footwear, knit gloves, and canned clams—the value used is the American selling price. This price is the U.S. wholesale price on the product or a similar product. Importers of chemicals charge that ASP is unfair. U.S. chemical producers claim that the protection of the ASP system is needed to prevent a flood of lowcost foreign chemical imports. The Tariff Commission is working out rates of duty to be applied in the usual way to a selected list of these products. The proposed rates will be set to provide the same amount of customs revenue as would have been collected had the ASP procedure been followed. Once some examples have
been worked out, the Tariff Commission plans to hold public hearings on the problem. No date has been set for the hearings. However, the Tariff Commission urges all interested parties to submit, no later than Jan. 24, written suggestions on the problem of setting tentative rates. The Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association says it is studying the government proposal, but it is too early to draw conclusions. However, SOCMA secretary S. Stewart Graff comments: "In the past, we have found many very serious problems, both statistical and economic, in attempting to substitute so-called ad valorem duties for our present American selling price system . . . . It appears quite obvious that foreign producers are putting pressure on our ASP system because they believe that, without it, they can increase their shipments of benzenoid chemicals to the U.S. very substantially."
were decapitated at either 30 or 120 minutes after injection. Brain tissue was immediately chilled, homogenized, and treated to form a nuclear aggregate. The ability of these samples to incorporate labeled nucleotides into RNA served as an index of RNA polymerase activity. Typically, activity rose steadily with time after injection, outpacing the values for control samples by as much as two or three times. A jump in enzyme activity also occurred when the drug was added directly to samples prepared from the brain tissue of noninjected animals. Dr. Glasky said the effect of magnesium pemoline on RNA synthesis wasn't produced by other psychotropic compounds tested. Among these were imipramine, methylphenidate, and pipradol, all of which are central nervous system stimulants used in treating depressive states and emotional fatigue. Thus, the Abbott drug's effect may not be connected with the pharmacological properties of psychotropic drugs in general. It might be explained by direct activation of the enzyme by the drug. Activation of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) primer to make it a more effective template for RNA synthesis is another possible mechanism. That increased RNA synthesis activity might improve memory and learning rates was suggested by re-
suits reported previously by other scientists. In some tests, for example, daily injections of RNA did improve these abilities in rats. The mental effects of magnesium pemoline on rats were rated by how quickly the animals learned to avoid electric shock in a repeated test situation. For these trials, rats received oral doses of up to 0.02 mg. per gram of body weight. They learned a conditioned response four to five times faster than did control specimens, Dr. Plotnikoff said. Retention of conditioning some hours after the first trials or following amnesia-inducing electric shock was markedly higher in rats that had received the drug. Other psychotropic drugs tested were not effective. The response in rats to various dosages of magnesium pemoline and the variation of the drug's effect with time were similar in both the RNA synthesis activity tests and the behavior tests. Further investigation with this or similar drugs may help clarify the link between the brain's operation and its chemistry. Dr. Plotnikoff emphasizes that the studies do not "definitely establish" that increased RNA synthesis enhances learning and memory—only that they "tend to support this hypothesis." Magnesium pemoline (Abbott 30400) is not related to amphetamines or to monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
Corn Products Names Ott
Christian Herter He wants alternatives
Dr. Arnold C. Ott, 48, has been elected scientific director and vice president of Corn Products, a new post in the diversified firm, whose sales are approaching $1 billion a year. He was president of Ott Chemical, Muskegon, Mich., a subsidiary of Corn Products. Dr. Ott founded Ott Chemical in 1956 after doing research for Dow Chemical, Hercules Powder, and Upjohn. A native of Clare, Mich., he holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from Michigan State. The move denotes increased emphasis on research activities as a route to new business opportunities, says Corn Products chairman A. N. McFarlane. The company's current investment in research exceeds $9 million.
JAN.
3, 1 9 6 6
C&EN
17
