Formerly the American Vanadium Co. was the only producer of vanadium products and ferrovanadium in the world. The price of vanadium was then somewhere around $5.00 per pound for the metallic vanadium content of the ferrovanadium. Later the Primos Chemical Co. came into the field, and the American Vanadium Co. cut the price. On account of the large deposits of ore that the Primos Chemical Co. had in Colorado, the result was simply a lowering of the price of ferrovanadium. Undoubtedly, if it were not for this competition the price of vanadium during that period would have been higher than it was, and if it were not for the Primos Chemical Co., the American Vanadium Co. would have had practically a monopoly of the whole vanadium production, as the output from carnotite was not large enough to affect the market seriously. As it was, these two companies controlled more than 90 per cent. of the ore supply, and thus the recent change of ownership to the Vanadium Products Corporation will enable the latter to fix the price, as well as to regulate the consumption and thus prolong the availability of a useful metal which otherwise would be likely to soon become exhausted. The principal vanadium deposits of Chihuahua, Mexico, are controlled by the Madero estate (Mexican). This dominance of control of sources of supply has made control through ownership of reduction plants, patents and secret processes of less importance. CHAPTER IX ANTIMONY BY H. G. FERGUSON AND D. A. HALL USES OF ANTIMONY The following summary of the _uses of antimony_ is taken from _Mineral Resources of United States_, 1918.[90] [90] BASTIN, E. S.: “Antimony in 1918,” _Mineral Resources of the United States_, 1918. U. S. Geol. Survey, 1919. Peace uses.--Metallic antimony unalloyed has few industrial uses. In the form of fine powder, known as “iron black,” it is used for producing the appearance of polished steel on articles made of papier-maché or pottery. For these purposes it is precipitated by the action of metallic zinc in an acid solution of antimony salts. Antimony alloys readily with most heavy metals and the alloy is harder than the two pure metals. Most of these alloys possess the property of slight expansion on solidifying. Type metal is an alloy of antimony, lead, and tin; babbitt, anti-friction, or bearing metal is usually an alloy of antimony, tin, and copper. Britannia metal, also known as “white metal,” is an alloy of antimony, tin, and copper, with some zinc, and, rarely, small quantities of other metals. It is used in making cheap domestic tableware, teapots, and spoons. Antimony alloys find minor utilization in battery plates, toys, cable coverings, and siphon tops. Lead-antimony alloy or hard lead is used in making acid-resisting valves.