The platinum industry began to develop in 1869, the price at that time being under £5 per lb.[[49]], but from that year onwards the value, although subject to considerable fluctuations, has steadily increased. It has been estimated that since the beginning of the industry in Russia, about 6,000,000 oz. of platinum have been recovered from 30,000,000 to 40,000,000 c. yd. of gravel.
As was explained in Chapter I, the official statistics of the Russian output of crude platinum are considered to be low. In the following table, the estimated and official figures of production are given for the years 1910–17:
| In oz. troy | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year. | Estimated output. | Official output. |
| 1910 | 300,000 | 176,334 |
| 1911 | 280,000 | 187,008 |
| 1912 | 300,000 | 177,596 |
| 1913 | 275,000 | 157,735 |
| 1914 | 240,000 | 157,182 |
| 1915 | 124,000 | 119,789 |
| 1916 | 90,000 | 78,682 |
| 1917 | 50,000 | |
In the official statistics the Ural mining district is divided into five principal areas. The following table shows the annual outputs by districts in recent years:
| In oz. troy | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District. | 1910. | 1911. | 1912. | 1913. | 1914. | 1915. | 1916. |
| South Verkhotur | 111,070 | 121,314 | 118,048 | 102,552 | 106,528 | 80,985 | 52,353 |
| Perm | 46,068 | 46,885 | 38,709 | 36,878 | 38,050 | 22,996 | 14,818 |
| North Verkhotur | 11,862 | 11,362 | 13,166 | 11,376 | 7,426 | 12,288 | 9,968 |
| Tcherdynsk | 6,359 | 5,016 | 6,162 | 6,109 | 4,753 | 3,518 | 1,542 |
| South Ekaterinburg | 972 | 1,040 | 1,382 | 816 | 421 | 2 | |
| Total | 176,331 | 185,617 | 177,467 | 157,731 | 157,178 | 119,789 | 78,681 |
Exports of crude platinum from Russia for the years 1911–15 were as follows[[15]] p. 923:
| To. | 1911. | 1912. | 1913. | 1914. | 1915. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Britain | 1,053 | 2,107 | 1,580 | 66,884 | |
| France | 168,527 | 169,580 | 140,615 | 64,778 | 7,900 |
| Germany | 51,612 | 50,558 | 58,458 | 17,906 | |
| United States | 5,266 | ||||
| Total | 221,192 | 222,245 | 200,653 | 82,684 | 80,050 |
The platinum industry in Russia has always been mainly in the hands of a few large firms of foreign countries. For a long time Johnson, Matthey & Co., Ltd. controlled the greater part of the trade. In 1898 the Société Anonyme de l’Industrie du Platine was established in Paris, and, by purchasing a large number of mines, and leasing others, was able to secure a large share in the control of the industry.
The refining of the crude platinum has been, and still is, almost entirely in foreign hands, all but approximately 2 per cent. of the entire output being refined abroad. In 1915 it was reported that the construction of a refinery at Ekaterinburg was completed, which was to be placed under Government control. The principal platinum-refining works were formerly those of Johnson, Matthey & Co., Ltd., of England, but early in the eighties this firm was, to a certain extent, superseded by Heraeus & Co., of Hanau, Germany. They, in turn, in 1909, were compelled to give first place to the Société Anonyme de l’Industrie du Platine, of Paris, which became the chief centre of the platinum-refining industry, a position which it held until the outbreak of war. France at that time had a monopoly of 90 per cent. of the Russian production. This foreign control had an unfavourable effect on the industry, and in 1913 the Russian Government passed a law forbidding the exportation of crude platinum. In July 1915, exportation was again permitted, subject to a 30 per cent. ad valorem export tax, and at about the same time an order was issued forbidding the exportation of raw platinum in quantities valued above 500 roubles (£53), the price of the metal to be fixed by the State[[15]] p. 923. In February 1917 the Government further enacted an order prohibiting the importation of drawn and spun platinum. It was hoped by these means to encourage the establishment of domestic refineries. In 1916 the Government fixed the price at £16 10s. per oz. In March 1917 it was reported that the miners were not satisfied, and later sales were reported up to £22 per oz. of crude metal, 83 per cent. fine[[50]] p. 17.
According to N. Vissotzki[[51]], the platiniferous belt of the Urals, geologically speaking, consists of four parallel bands striking, roughly, north and south; the westernmost of these, made up of crystalline schists, forms the watershed between Europe and Asia. The next band to the east comprises olivine- and mica-gabbros, diallage-peridotites, diorites and altered syenites—all of which have been erupted from a great depth. The third band is made up of Lower Devonian sedimentary rocks, shattered and buried in places by diabasic eruptive rocks. The eastern portion of this band is formed of eruptive rocks of deep-seated origin which may be gneissose granites. The fourth, or most easterly band, is composed of ancient rocks, which have been eroded by the advancing sea of Lower Tertiary age.