Metal snips (October 09, 1989)

Mercury being produced as a byproduct of gold-mining operations in the U.S. is reaching the market and contributing to a lower price for the m ineral in that country. New mines in Nevada, in particular, have added to the supply; gold mines in that state will turn out an amount of mercury equal to about one-fifteenth of the estimated U.S. consumption this year.

The main source of power for the U.S. spacecraft Magellan, on its way to Venus, is an array of silver- coated cells linked by silver circuits, The Silver Institute of Washington, D.C., reports. To help prevent overheating, the spacecraft is covered with silver-coated quartz tiles, the quartz blocking infra-red radiation and the silver reflecting 97.5% of all visible light rays.

]]>