Future in the Sands

"Zirconium," said National Research Corp.'s Atomic Expert Manson Benedict, "will become as important to atomics as copper is to the electrical industry." What Scientist Benedict was talking about last week was a huge new program by the Atomic Energy Commission to use almost pure zirconium as a construction material for nuclear reactors. To three companies--National Research, Carborundum Co. and National Distillers Corp. --AEC handed out contracts to buy $70 million of the metal over the next five years. From a trickle, zirconium production will soar to 2,200,000 Ibs. annually. Price: around $6.50 a lb., less than half previous costs.

The expansion could not have been better timed to supply the zirconium, which is needed not only for submarine and military reactors but for commercial power plants. Last week New York's Consolidated Edison Co. and Chicago's Commonwealth Edison Co. (TIME, April 18, 1955) got a final green light from AEC to build two big nuclear power plants to generate a total 416,000 kw. of electricity. Their reactors alone will require an estimated 50,000 Ibs. of zirconium.

Steel & the Nautilus. Known since 1789, zirconium has long been one of the world's commonest (ninth most abundant) but least used metallic elements. Hard, heat-resistant (melting point: 1,845DEG C.), almost corrosion-proof, zirconium cost $315 a Ib. as late as 1945, was a laboratory curiosity beyond the purse of U.S. industry. In the postwar years, National Lead Co., Union Carbide & Carbon Corp. and others learned to produce commercial-grade zirconium as a hardening material for steel (1,500,000 Ibs. at $10 a Ib. was shipped in 1955). But in 1948, with the start of the atomic power plant program, the AEC found it needed almost pure zirconium. Since it does not become radioactive, it is an ideal construction material for light, compact, thermal-type reactors such as those on the submarines Nautilus and Sea Wolf. A Bureau of Mines pilot plant and, later, Carborundum Co. developed processes to refine 99.5% pure zirconium, gradually brought the price down to $14 a Ib. on total production of 300,000 Ibs. annually by 1955.

Now the AEC will expand production nearly tenfold. Using a sodium-based process, National Distillers will turn out 1,000,000 Ibs. annually for the AEC, build a multimillion dollar plant at Ashtabula, Ohio. By modifying the "Kroll Process" for refining titanium, Carborundum Co. will boost production from 325,000 Ibs. to 825,000 Ibs. annually. Using its own process, National Research Corp. will produce 700,000 Ibs. annually for five years, collect $22.7 million. It will build a $6,000,000 plant at Pensacola, Fla. to start production by early 1957 from beach sand.

Reactors & Chemicals. The three producers are building plants with a capacity of about 1,500,000 Ibs. apiece per year, will thus have enough for both AEC and private needs. Aside from zirconium, other rare metals may come from AEC's program, e.g., thorium, currently under study as a cheap source for nuclear fuel.

Beyond atomics, the three companies see a new market opening up for low-priced zirconium. Eventually, they hope to produce a slightly lower-grade zirconium for as little as $3.50 a Ib., well within the pocketbooks of dozens of industries from electronics (where it is used to absorb oxygen in vacuum tubes) to machine tools. Estimates are that the U.S. chemical industry alone can use big quantities to cut its losses of $500 million annually from corrosion of pipes, valves and tanks.

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