The outputs of platinum metals in different parts of the British Empire are shown in the table on p. [14].
EUROPE
United Kingdom
There is no known occurrence of platinum in the United Kingdom, but there has always been much trade done there in the platinum metals, England having been the second largest importer of the big consuming nations. The following were the importations of Russian platinum for five periods since 1863:
| Period | Oz. |
|---|---|
| 1863–1880 | 512,005 |
| 1881–1890 | 167,999 |
| 1891–1900 | 437,645 |
| 1901–1910 | 259,111 |
| 1911–1915 | 71,624 |
| [[15]] p. 923 | |
The above figures do not include receipts of platinum for seven different years since 1863, for which there are no records.
The table on the next page gives a summary of total imports of platinum metals for the years 1910–1918, with the countries of origin.
The platinum market in London was controlled by the Government from January 1916 to December 1918, Johnson, Matthey & Co., Ltd., acting as buyers. On December 26, 1916, platinum was declared contraband.
| Imports of Platinum Metals, wrought and unwrought, into United Kingdom | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in troy oz.) | ||||||||||
| 1910. | 1911. | 1912. | 1913. | 1914. | 1915. | 1916. | 1917. | 1918. | ||
| From British countries | 24 | 1,011 | 1,100 | 28 | 458 | 265 | ||||
| From foreign countries: | ||||||||||
| Russia | 4,167 | 2,579 | 461 | 1,778 | 7 | |||||
| Germany | 5,837 | 8,786 | 1,669 | 50 | 3 | |||||
| France | 35,149 | 30,449 | 33,969 | 33,149 | 12,592 | 1,878 | 1,666 | 632 | 596 | |
| United States | 494 | 794 | 644 | 3,623 | 257 | 1,265 | 191 | 2,716 | ||
| Colombia | 2,037 | 4,909 | 4,552 | 3,725 | 2,296 | 139 | ||||
| Other foreign countries | 454 | 158 | 315 | 40 | 59 | 79 | 362 | |||
| Total: foreign countries | 48,138 | 47,517 | 41,453 | 42,640 | 15,188 | 3,348 | 1,936 | 3,348 | 958 | |
| Grand total, oz. | 48,162 | 48,528 | 42,553 | 42,640 | 15,188 | 3,348 | 1,964 | 3,806 | 1,223 | |
| [[16]] | ||||||||||
About 7 per cent. of the Russian and one-half of the Colombian outputs were sold to England during the war, as well as most of the Australian and Indian production. Much of this metal was refined in the United States.