David Hudson ltal benyjtott szabadalom a nem-fmes, monoatomos

felpts tmeneti elemekrl.

lajstromszamok szerint:
Ausztria AT152489, Nemetorszag DE3920144, Nagy-Britannia GB2219995, Franciaorszag FR2632974,
Svedorszag SE8902258, Belgium BE1003134, Svajc CH680136, Spanyolorszag ES2016468, Olaszorszag
IT1237457, Hollandia NL8901538, Ausztralia AU3662489, Japan JP2111820
EIszr egy rvid sszefogIaIs nmetI s angoIuI
-----------------------------------------------------
Patentanmeldungen anschauen
Deutschland DE3920144
No English title available.
Verffentlichungsnr. (Sek.) DE3920144
Verffentlichungsdatum : 1989-12-28
Erfinder : HUDSON DAVD RADUS (US)
Anmelder : CONCORD RESEARCH CORP (US)
Originalnummer : DE3920144
Anmeldenummer : DE19893920144 19890620
Priorittsnummer : US19880209297 19880621; US19890363173 19890607
Klassification PK : B01J23/38; B01J23/70; C22B3/00
Klassification EK : C01G3/00, C01G5/00, C01G7/00, C01G51/00, C01G53/00, C01G55/00, C21D1/04
Korrespondierende Patentschriften AT152489, AT395313B, BE1003134, CH680136, ES2016468,
FR2632974, GB2219995, T1237457, JP2111820, NL8901538, SE8902258
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Zusammenfassung
Orbital umgelagerte, monoatomare Elemente, Verfahrenzu ihrer Herstellung und ihre
Weiterverarbeitung
Beschrieben werden stabile, nicht-metallische, orbital umgelagerte, monoatomare bergangs- oder
Edelmetallelemente aus der Gruppe Kobalt, Nickel, Kupfer, Silber, Gold, Palladium, Platin, Ruthenium,
Rhodium, ridium und Osmium mit einer Dublette in den nfrarotspektren zwischen 1400 und 1600 cm
-
1
und einer d-Bahnloch- oder -lcherteilenergie mit einem Elektron oder Elektronen. Diese Materialien
eignen sich insbesondere zur Verwendung als Katalysatoren, Hochtemperaturkeramiken,
Feuerfestmaterialien, korrosionsbestndige Werkstoffe und dergleichen. Sie besitzen besondere
Eigenschaften, z. B. eine Hochtemperatur-superleitfhigkeit und eine Energieproduktionsfhigkeit. Die
betreffenden Materialen erhlt man entweder aus Erzen, deren Analyse mittels blicher Manahmen
die Anwesenheit der betreffenden bergangs- und Edelmetalle verschweigt, oder durch Umwandlung
reiner Metalle oder von Metallselzen der betreffenden Elemente in die orbital umgelagerten,
monoatomaren Substanzen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Brief Description
Title taken from the British or Australian Patent: "Non-metallic, monoatomic forms of transition
elements"
Stable, non-metallic, orbitally rearranged monoatomic transition elements selected from the group
consisting of cobalt, nickel, copper, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, and
osmium having a doublet in the infrared spectra between 1400 and 1600 cm
-1
and having a d orbital
hole or holes sharing energy with an electron or electrons are described. These materials have
specific application in forming catalysts, high-temperature ceramics, refractory materials, corrosion
resistant materials and they exhibit properties of high temperature super-conductivity and energy
production. The materials are produced either from ores which do not analyze by conventional
instruments for any of said transition and noble metals, or by conversion of pure metals or metal salts
of said elements into the orbitally rearranged monoatomic species.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daten aus der esp@cenet Datenbank - - l2

AustraIian Patent Number: AU3662489
Title: NON-METALLC, MONOATOMC FORMS OF TRANSTON ELEMENTS
Name: Hudson ; David Radius
Opt Date Filed: 20/06/89
Application d : 36624 / 89 Serial Number :_ 36624/89
Applicant: Concord Research Corporation
Title: Non-metallic, monoatomic forms of transition elements
Status : Lapsed
Date Advertised Lapsed : 11/02/93
Complete Filing Date : 20/06/89
Earliest Priority Date : 21/06/88
Australian OP Date: 04/01/90
Direction Date : 19/04/90
Request Lodgement Date : 19/09/90
Exam Section/Examiner : D -- J LACKE
First Report Date : 12/03/91
Date Sent to Examination : 16/01/91
Priority Date/Country: 21/06/88 UNTED STATES OF AMERCA

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALA
Patents Act 1952-1969
PLETE SPEATN
Name of AppIicant: CONCORD RESEARCH CORPORATON
Address of AppIicant: 15650 North Black Canyon Highway, Phoenix, Arizona 85023,
United States of America
ActuaI nventor: DAVD RADUS HUDSON
Address for Service: Watermark Patent & Trademark Attorneys
50 Queen Street, Melbourne, Australia 3000
ompIete Specification for the invention entitIed:
NON-METALLC, MONOATOMC FORMS OF TRANSTONAL ELEMENTS
The foIIowing statement is a fuII description of this invention, incIuding the best method of
performing it known to us:

-1a-
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to the monoatomic Iorms oI certain transition and noble
metal elements, namely, gold, silver, copper, cobalt, nickel and the six platinum
group elements. More particularly, this invention relates to the separation oI the
aIoresaid transition and noble metal elements Irom naturally occurring materials in
their orbitally rearranged monoatomic Iorms, and to the preparation oI the aIoresaid
transition and noble metal elements in their orbitally rearranged monoatomic Iorms
Irom their commercial metallic Iorms. The materials oI this invention are stable,
substantially pure, non-metallic-like Iorms oI the aIoresaid transition and noble
metal elements, and have a hereto unknown electron orbital rearrangement in the
"d", "s", and vacant "p" orbitals. The electron rearrangement bestows upon the
monoatomic elements unique electronic, chemical, magnetic, and physical
properties which have commercial application.
This invention also relates to the recovery oI the metallic Iorm oI each oI the
aIoresaid transition and noble metal elements Irom the orbitally rearranged
monoatomic Iorms.

- 2 -
For the purposes oI this application, the Iollowing deIinitions shall apply: transition
elements ("T-metals") means the metallic or cationic Iorm oI gold, silver, copper,
cobalt and nickel, and the six platinum group elements, i.e., platinum, palladium,
rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, and osmium; and "ORME" means the Orbitally
Rearranged Monoatomic Elemental Iorms oI each oI the T-metals.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Inorganic chemists working with soluble salts oI noble metals until relatively
recently have assumed that the metals were dissolved as Iree ions in aqueous
solutions. In the 1960's, with the advent oI greater analytical capabilities, it was
established that many elements and in particular the transition metals are present in
aqueous solutions as metal-metal bonded clusters oI atoms.
Gold metal that has been dissolved with aqua regia, and subsequently converted to
gold chloride by repeated evaporation with HCl to remove nitrates, is commonly
reIerred to as the acid chloride solution oI AuCl
3
or HAuCl
4
. It has been recognized
that the recovery oI gold metal Irom a solution Iormed Irom aqua regia is made
more diIIicult in proportion to the amount oI HNO
3
used in the initial dissolution
procedures. It is not commonly understood, however, why the gold that is dissolved
with less HNO
3
is easier to reduce to the metal Irom a chloride solution than gold
that is dissolved using a greater amount oI HNO
3
. Gold in both solutions is
generally regarded as being present in the Iorm oI a Iree gold cation.
It is now recognized by most chemists who regularly handle chlorides oI gold that
gold metal ceases to disaggregate when the HNO
3
is removed and in Iact can
reaggregate under certain conditions and precipitate out oI HCl solutions as metal.
This recognition has led to the discovery that gold metal salts will exist in HCl
solutions originating Irom metals as clusters oI Au
2
Cl
6
, Au
3
Cl
9
,

- 3 -
Au
4
Cl
12
, up to Au
33
Cl
99
. These cluster salts are actually in solution with the HCl
and water, and will require diIIerent chemical procedures relative to puriIication
problems or oxidation-reduction reactions, depending on the degree oI clustering.
SpeciIically, reduction oI clusters oI gold having greater than 11 atoms oI metal is
easily perIormed since the atoms themselves are spaced Irom each other in the salt
similar to their spacing in the metal itselI beIore dissolution. Reduction oI the
chloride salt to the metal, thereIore, requires a simple reductive elimination oI the
chlorides that are attached to the metal cluster. It is now known that recovery oI
precious metals Irom aqueous solutions is much more diIIicult when the cluster
size becomes smaller and smaller, or in actuality when the metal is better
"dissolved."
From the study oI the behavior oI gold and other transition metals in solution, it is
now believed that all such metals have atomic aggregations and occur as at least
diatoms under normal conditions oI dissolution . Under either acid or strong base
dissolution, the transition metal will not normally dissolve beyond the diatom due
to the extremely strong interatomic d and s orbital bonding. A gold atom, Ior
example, has a single atom electron orbital conIiguration oI d
10
s
1
. When the gold
salts originate Irom a metal having gold-gold bonding, the salts contain very tightly
bound diatoms or larger clusters oI gold. Under the normal aqueous acid chemistry
used Ior transition metals, solutions oI the metals will always contain two or tore
atoms in the cluster Iorm.
When instrumental analysis such as atomic absorption, x-ray Iluorescence, or
emission spectroscopy is perIormed on solutions containing transition metals, these
analyses are based on electronic transitions. The Iact that d orbital electron overlap
occurs in the metal-metal bonded

- 4 -
salt allows an analysis oI many oI the same characteristic omissions as the metal
itselI.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
During eIIorts to eIIect quantitative analytical separations oI transition metals Irom
naturally occurring materials, it was discovered that ORMEs exist naturally and are
Iound in salts with alkali metals and/or alkaline earth metals, all oI which are
coupled with waters oI hydration and normally Iound with silica and alumina.
ORMEs are also oIten associated with sulIides and other mineral compositions.
ORMEs may also, it was discovered, be prepared Irom commercially available T-
metals. For ease oI description the invention will be primarily described by the
preparation oI a gold ORME ("G-ORME") Irom commercially available metallic
yellow gold.
The atoms oI each ORME do not have d electron orbital overlap as do their
corresponding T-metal clusters. ORMEs do not, thereIore, exhibit the same
characteristic emissions oI their corresponding T-metal when subjected to analysis
by instruments which depend upon electronic transitions. ORMEs must, thereIore,
be identiIied in new ways, ways which have heretoIore not been used to identiIy T-
metals.
An aqua regia solution oI metallic gold is prepared. This solution contains clusters
oI gold chlorides oI random size and degrees oI aggregation. HCl is added to the
solution and it is repeatedly evaporated with a large excess oI NaCl (20:1 moles Na
to moles Au) to moist salts. The addition oI NaCl allows the eventual Iormation oI
NaAuC
l4
, aIter all HNO
3
is removed Irom the solution. The sodium, like gold, has
only one unpaired S electron and, accordingly, tends to Iorm clusters oI at least two
atoms. The sodium, however, does not d orbitally overlap the gold atom as it has no
d electrons, resulting in a surIace reaction

- 5 -
between the sodium atoms and the gold atoms. This results in a weakening oI the
gold-gold cluster stability and causes the eventual Iormation oI a sodium-gold
linear bond with a weakened d orbital activity in the individual gold atoms. The
sodium-gold compound, Iormed by repeated evaporation to salts, will provide a
chloride oI sodium-gold. In these salts the sodium and gold are believed to be
charged positive, i.e., have lost electrons: and the chlorine is negative, i.e., has
gained electrons. When the salts are dissolved in water and the pH slowly adjusted
to neutral, Iull aquation oI the sodium-gold diatom will slowly occur and chloride
is removed Irom the complex. Chemical reduction oI the sodium-gold solution
results in the Iormation oI a sodium auride. Continued aquation results in
disassociation oI the gold atom Irom the sodium and the eventual Iormation oI a
protonated auride oI gold as a grey precipitate. Subsequent annealing produces the
G-ORME. The G-ORME has an electron rearrangement whereby it acquires a d
orbital hole or holes which share energy with an electron or electrons. This pairing
occurs under the inIluence oI a magnetic Iield external to the Iield oI the electrons.
G-ORMEs are stable and possess strong interatomic repulsive magnetic Iorces,
relative to their attractive Iorces. G-ORME stability is demonstrated by unique
thermal and chemical properties. The white saltlike material that is Iormed Irom G-
ORMEs aIter treatment with halogens, and the white oxide appearing material
Iormed when G-ORMEs are treated with Iuming HClO
4
or Iuming H
2
SO
4
are
dissimilar Irom the T-metal or its salts. The G-ORME will not react with cyanide,
will not be dissolved by aqua regia, and will not wet or amalgamate with mercury.
It also does not sinter at 800C under reducing conditions, and remains an
amorphous powder at 1200C. These characteristics are contrary to what is observed
Ior metallic gold and/or gold cluster salts. G-ORMEs require a more negative
potential than -2.45

- 6 -
v to be reduced, a potential that cannot be achieved with ordinarily known aqueous
chemistry.
The strong interatomic repulsive Iorces are demonstrated in that the G-ORMEs
remain as a powder at 1200C. This phenomenon results Irom canceling oI the
normal attractive Iorces arising Irom the net interaction between the shielded,
paired electrons and the unshielded, unpaired s and d valence electrons. G-ORMEs
have no unpaired valence electrons and, thereIore, tend not to aggregate as would
clusters oI gold which have one or more unpaired valence electrons.
G-ORMEs can be reconverted to metallic gold Irom which they were Iormed. This
reconversion is accomplished by an oxidation rearrangement which removes all
paired valence electrons together with their vacancy pair electrons, with a
subsequent reIilling oI the d and s orbitals with unpaired electrons until the proper
conIiguration is reached Ior the T-metal.
This oxidation rearrangement is eIIected by subjecting the G-ORME to a large
negative potential in the presence oI an electron-donating element, such as carbon,
thus Iorming a metallic element-carbon chemical bond. For that metal-carbon bond
to occur the carbon must provide Ior the horizontal removal oI the d orbital vacancy
oI the ORME. The carbon acts like a chemical Iulcrum. When the element-carbon
bond is reduced by way oI Iurther decreasing the potential, the carbon receives a
reducing electron and subsequently vertically inserts that reducing electron below
the s orbitals oI the element, thus Iorming metallic gold.
The above general description Ior the preparation oI G-ORME Irom commercially
available metallic gold is applicable equally Ior the preparation oI the remaining
ORMEs, except Ior the speciIic potential energy required and the use oI nascent
nitrogen (N) rather than carbon to convert the other ORMEs to their constituent
metallic Iorm. The speciIic energies range between -1.8 V and -2.5 V de-

- 7 -
pending on the particular element. Alternatively this rearrangement can be achieved
chemically by reacting NO gas with the T-metal ORMEs other than gold. Nitric
oxide is unique in that it possesses the necessary chemical potential as well as the
single unpaired electron.
THEORY OF ORMES FORMATION
T-metals can possess an electron rearrangement between the d and s orbitals as
seen Irom FIGURE 1 oI the drawing which plots the principal quantum number
versus the atomic number. The boxed areas designated A, B, and C establish that
the 3d electron energies oI copper and cobalt are very close to the same energy
level as the 4s electron energies. The 4d electron energies oI silver and rhodium are
almost identical to the 5s; orbital energies, and the 5d gold and iridium electron
energies are approaching the 6s level energies. The proximity oI the energy bands
oI the T-metals makes them unique with respect to other elements. This proximity
allows an easier transition to their lowest energy state, as hereinaIter described.
When two transition metal atoms are bound together, they can d bond, or s bond, or
they can d and s bond. When the two atoms s bond, their atomic distances are
Iurther apart and, thereIore, their density is lower than when there is both d and s
bonding. The amount oI d orbital bonding activity is in direct proportion to the
cluster size. ThereIore, a single atom cluster will have less d bonding activity and
more s bonding activity than will a cluster oI 7 or more atoms. In addition; the
chemical stability oI the smaller clusters is much less than that oI the metal
because, when d orbital bonding is achieved, the s bonding is made more stable by
overlapping oI the two energy levels.
It is known that there exists a critical size, in the range oI 3-20 atoms, Ior Pd II, Ag
I and Au III, by way

- 8 -
oI example, which is necessary Ior metal deposition Irom solution. As the number
oI atoms in the T-metal cluster decreases through continuous evaporation in the
presence oI NaCl, the solution becomes a solution oI diatoms which in the case oI
gold is represented as Au
-1
- Au
1
i.e., Au
-1
bonded to Au
1
. The rationale Ior this
representation oI a gold diatom is based upon the Iact that a single gold atom has an
odd spin electron, as does rhodium, iridium, gold, cobalt and copper oI the T-
metals. In a diatom oI gold, the two odd spin electrons will be Iound on one oI the
two atoms but not both. Thus, a diatom oI gold is made by a bond between an
aurous (Au
1
) atom and an auride (Au
-1
) atom.
The present invention enables the breaking oI the diatom bond by introducing a
more electro-positive element, such as sodium or any alkali or alkaline earth
elements, which does not have a d orbital overlap capability. This element replaces
the aurous (Au
1
) Iorming, in this case, a sodium auride. In eIIect, the sodium
weakens the d orbital overlapping energies between the atoms oI the gold diatom as
well as elevating a d orbital electron towards the s orbital, thereby creating a
negative potential on the surIace oI the atom. This negative potential enables an
interreaction oI the s orbital with chemiabsorbed water through electron donation
and reception.
The sodium auride, when in aqueous solution at or near neutral pH, will Iorm
sodium hydroxide and a monomeric water-soluble auride. The monomeric auride
(Au
-1
) is unstable and seeks a lower energy state which is represented by a partial
Iilling oI the d and s orbitals. This lower energy state with its greater stability is
achieved by the electron-donating and removing capability oI H
2
O.
Water can act to remove electrons. Water molecules possess a net charge and attach
to each other in vertical clusters so that an 18 molecule water cluster can hold a
cumulative potential oI -2.50 V. The potential oI a water molecular cluster, at near
neutral pH, is suIIicient

- 9 -
to remove an electron Irom the d orbital and create a positive hole, enabling a
pairing between opposite spin electrons Irom the d to s orbitals to take place. The
existence oI the electron pairing is conIirmed by inIrared analysis, illustrated in
FIGURE 4, which identiIies the vibrational and rotational motions caused by
energy exchange between these two mirror image electrons.
Attempting to quantiIy the number oI electrons remaining in an ORME is
extremely diIIicult due to the electrons lost to oxidation, thermal treatment, and the
inability, except Irom theory, to quantiIy electron pairs using electron quanta. It is
established, however, that the ORME does not have valence electrons available Ior
standard spectroscopic analysis such as atomic absorption, emission spectroscopy
or inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy. Moreover, x-ray Iluorescence or x-ray
diIIraction spectrometry will not respond the same as they do with T-metals in
standard analysis. The existence oI an ORME, while not directly identiIiable by the
aIoresaid standard analyses, can be characterized by inIrared (IR) spectra by a
doublet which represents the bonding energy oI the electron pairs within the
ORME. The doublet is located at approximately 1427 and 1490 cm
-1
Ior a rhodium
ORME. The doublet Ior the other ORMEs is between about 1400 and 1600 cm
-1

AIter H
2
reduction oI the individual monoatom the hydrogen ion-single element
may or may not produce an IR doublet depending on the element's normal electron
conIiguration. Elements normally containing an s
1
T-metal conIiguration do not
produce an IR doublet aIter H
2
reduction. Elements with an s
2
T-metal
conIiguration such as Ir (d
7
s
2
) will produce a doublet.
Thermal annealing to 800C and subsequent cooling to ambient temperature under
He or Ar gas atmosphere to remove the chemically bound proton oI hydrogen will
produce ORMEs which contain a two-level system resulting Irom electron pairing
within the individual atom. II this annealing

- 10 -
is perIormed in the absence oI an external magnetic Iield, then the electron pairing
produces the characteristic doublets. The electron pair will be bound in the valence
orbitals oI the atom. II the annealing is perIormed in the presence oI an external
magnetic Iield, including the earth's magnetic Iield, quantum electron pair
movement can be produced and maintained in the range oI one gauss up to
approximately 140 gauss in the case oI Ir and, thereIore, no IR doublet will be
detected in this resulting quantum state.
The limiting condition oI the ORME state is deIined according to the present
invention as an "S-ORME". The S-ORME is the lowest state in which monoatoms
can exist and is, thereIore, the most stable Iorm oI T-metal elements. The ORME is
electronically rearranged and electron paired, but relative to time has not reached
the lowest total energy condition oI the S-ORME.
Detection oI doublets does not provide an analytical method Ior the identiIication
oI ORMEs per se, but rather detects the presence oI the electron pair or pairs which
all speciIically prepared ORMEs possess and which T-metals do not possess under
any condition. It is the existence oI the doublet that is critical, not its exact location
in the IR spectra. The location can shiIt due to binding energy, chemical potential,
oI the individual element in the ORME, the eIIect oI adsorbed water, the variances
oI the analytical instrument itselI, or any external magnetic Iield.
FIGURE 4 is an IR spectrum oI a rhodium ORME aIter argon annealing treatment,
and shows the presence oI a doublet at 1429.53 cm
-l
and 1490.99 cm
-1
. An iridium
ORME aIter hydrogen treatment without annealing reveals a doublet at 1432.09
cm
-l
and 1495.17 cm
-l
. These doublets are examples oI the shiIting that occurs
depending on the chemical binding energy or the individual ORME and the
conditions oI preparation. Accordingly, the inIrared spectra oI the ORMEs oI this
invention will have doublets within the range oI

- 11 -
1400 cm
-1
to 1600 cm
-1
. This doublet is indicative oI the electron pairing and
subsequent two-level electronic system which ORMEs contain.
A T-metal monoatom which is in a -1 oxidation state is in a lower energy state than
the same T-metal would be in at zero state with metal-metal bonding. This
lowering oI the perturbation reaction between the electrons and the nucleus oI the
monoatom because oI the increased degrees oI Ireedom allows the nucleus to
expand its positive Iield to encompass the normally unshielded d and s valence
electrons. This overlying positive magnetic Iield reduces the Coulomb repulsion
energies that normally exist between the valence electrons. Pairing by those
electrons becomes possible and over time occurs. Electron pairing provides a more
stable and lower energy state Ior the monoatom.
The ORME state is achieved when the electron pairs have Iormed in the
monoatom. A phenomenon oI electron pairs is that the interacting, spin-paired
electrons initially interreact by emitting phonon energy. The total energy oI the pair
reduces over time until it reaches a minimum where no phonons are emitted. This
condition has been reIerred to by physicists as "adiabatic ground state". This state
oI electron pairing is a total lower energy state in much the same way that chemical
combinations oI elements are in a lower energy state than the constituent
uncombined elements. For example, in the same way that it takes energy to
dissociate water into H
2
and O
2
it will take energy to break the electron pair.
As this process oI phonon emission by electrons during pairing is a Iunction oI
temperature and time, thermal annealing can decrease the time required to reach
ground state, i.e., all valence electrons paired. The cooling side oI the annealing
cycle is essential to eIIect a Iull conversion to an S-ORME state. Cooling to room
temperature is suIIicient Ior all element ORMEs with the exceptions oI silver,
copper, cobalt and nickel, which require a lower

- 12 -
temperature. ThereIore, thermal annealing reduces the time dependency oI the
electron pairs in achieving their lowest total energy.
All oI the electron pairs in their lowest energy state, unlike single electrons, can
exist in the same quantum state. When that uniIorm quantum state is achieved, the
electron pair can not only move with zero resistance around the monoatom, but also
can move with zero resistance between identical ORMEs that are within
approximately 20 A or less oI each other with no applied voltage potential. When a
macro system oI high purity, single element ORME achieves long-range quantum
electron pair movement, that many-body system according to the present invention
is deIined as an S-ORME system.
An S-ORME system does not possess a crystalline structure but the individual
ORMEs will, over time, space themselves as uniIormly as possible in the system.
The application oI a minimum external magnetic Iield will cause the S-ORME
system to respond by creating a protective external Iield |"Meissner Field"| that
will encompass all those S-ORMEs within the 20 A limit. As used herein,
"minimum external magnetic Iield" is deIined as a magnetic Iield which is below
the critical magnetic Iield which causes the collapse oI the Meissner Field. This
Iield is generated by electron pair movement within the system as a response to the
minimum applied magnetic Iield. The (Ir) S-ORME and the (Au) S-ORME systems
have a minimum critical Iield (''H
c1
'') that is below the earth's magnetic Iield. The
minimum critical Iield Ior a (Rh) S-ORME is slightly above the earth's magnetic
Iield. When the quantum Ilux Ilow commences, due to the minimum external
magnetic Iield being applied, the doublet in the IR spectrum will disappear because
electron pairs are no longer bound in a Iixed position on the individual ORME
monoatoms.
Once the externally applied Iield exceeds the level which overcomes the protective
Meissner Field oI the

- 13 -
S-ORME system ( "H
c2
" ) , then any electrons moving between individual ORME
atoms will demonstrate an ac Josephson junction type oI response. The
participating ORMEs will act as a very precise tuning device Ior electromagnetic
emissions emanating Irom Iree electrons between ORMEs. The Irequency oI these
emissions will be proportional to the applied external magnetic Iield. A one
microvolt external potential will produce electromagnetic Irequencies oI 5x10
8

cycles per second. Annihilation radiation Irequencies (about 10
20
cycles per
second) will be the limiting Irequency oI the possible emission. The reverse
physical process oI adding speciIic Irequencies can generate the inverse
relationship, i.e., a speciIic voltage will be produced Ior each speciIic applied
Irequency.
ORMEs can be reconverted to their constituent T-metals, but, as noted, are not
identiIiable as speciIic T-metals while in their ORME state. II a speciIic ORME is
Iormed Irom a speciIic T-metal by using the procedure oI this invention, it can only
be conIirmed by conventional analytical methods that the speciIic ORME was
Iormed by reconstituting it as the T-metal. Further, the applications to which the
ORMEs are directed will establish their relationship to a speciIic T-metal by virtue
oI the manner in which the ORME perIorms in that application as compared to the
perIormance oI commercially available derivatives oI the T-metal. An example is
the perIormance oI commercial rhodium as a hydrogen-oxidation catalyst
compared with the perIormance oI the rhodium ORME as used in a hydrogen-
oxidation catalyst.
It is believed that physical and chemical distinctions exist with respect to the
diIIerent ORMEs, but presently such distinctions are not known. ProoI oI the
nature oI a speciIic ORME according to this invention is based upon the presence
oI a doublet in the IR spectrum, the reconstitution oI each ORME back to its
constituent T-metal, and its

- 14 -
unique perIormance in speciIic applications compared to the constituent T-metal.
ORMEs are transIormed into their original T-metal by means oI a chemical
bonding with an electron-donating element, such as carbon, which is capable oI d
orbital electron overlap and "spin Ilip". When the G-ORME is chemically bonded
to carbon in an aqueous solution oI ethyl alcohol under a speciIic potential, carbon
monoxide is Iormed and the ORME Iorms Au
Au
, a black precipitate, which under
continued application oI potential and dehydration reduces to Au
1
Au
-1
, a metallic
bonded diatom oI gold. This invention establishes that a high potential applied to
the solution Iorces an electron into the d orbital, thus eliminating the electron pair.
The Iirst potential, which Ior G-ORME is approximately -2.2 V and Ior other
ORMEs is between -1.8 and -2.2 V, re-establishes the d orbital overlap. The Iinal
potential oI -2.5 V overcomes the water potential to deposit gold onto the cathode.
ORMEs are single T-metal atoms with no d orbital overlap. ORMEs do not
conIorm to rules oI physics which are generally applied to diatoms or larger
clusters oI metals (e.g., with conduction bands). The physics oI the electron orbitals
are actually more similar to those relating to a gas or solid solution which require
density evaluation between atoms at greater distances. Conversely, atomic orbital
calculations oI high atomic density metals give results that correspond to valence
charge rearrangement.
When the atomic distances oI the elements are increased beyond a critical Coulomb
distance, an energy gap exists between the occupied orbitals and the unoccupied
orbitals. The atom, thereIore, is an insulator and not a metal. Physicists when
determining the electron band energies oI small atom clusters suggest that the
occupation oI the bands should be rearranged iI the total energy is to be minimized.
The metallic electron orbital arrangement leads to calculations Ior energies, which
results are inconsistent

- 15 -
since the energies oI the supposedly occupied states are higher than the supposedly
unoccupied states. II this condition is relaxed and the bands allowed to repopulate
in order to Iurther lower the total energy, both bands will become partially Iilled.
This repopulation, iI perIormed in the presence oI an unlimited source oI electrons
(reducing conditions), will provide a total energy condition oI the atom which is
considerably below or lower than the atom as it exists in a metallic Iorm. This
lower energy is the result oI orbital rearrangement oI electrons in the transition
element. The resultant Iorm oI the element is an ORME.
SCOPE OF THE INVENTION
The Iormation and the existence oI ORMEs applies to all transition and noble
metals oI the Periodic Table and include cobalt, nickel, copper, silver, gold, and the
platinum group metals including platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium
and osmium, which can have various d and s orbital arrangements, which are
reIerred to as T-metals.
The T-metals, when subjected to conventional wet chemistry will disaggregate
through the various known levels, but not beyond a diatom state. The conventional
wet chemistry techniques iI continued to be applied beyond the normally expected
disaggregation level (diatom) in the presence oI water and an alkali metal, e.g.,
sodium, potassium or lithium, will Iirst Iorm a diatom and then electron orbitally
rearrange to the non-metallic, mono-atomic Iorm oI the T-metal, ie., an ORME.
An ORME can be reaggregated to the T-metal Iorm using conventional wet
chemistry techniques, by subjecting the ORME to a two-stage electrical potential to
"oxidize" the element to the metallic Iorm.
The ORMEs oI this invention exist in nature in an unpure Iorm in various
materials, such as sodic plagioclase or calcidic plagioclase ores. Because oI their
non-metallic, orbitally rearranged monoatomic Iorm, ORMEs are not

- 16 -
detected in these ores as the corresponding "metals" using conventional analysis
and, accordingly, until the present invention were not detected, isolated or
separated in a pure or substantially pure Iorm. Their presence in the nonmetallic
Iorm explains the inconsistent analysis at times obtained when analyzing ores Ior
metals whereby the quantitative analysis oI elements accounts Ior less than 100
oI the ore by weight.
USES OF ORMEs
ORMEs, which are individual atoms oI the T-metals and by virtue oI their orbital
rearrangement are able to exist in a stable and virtually pure Iorm, have diIIerent
chemical and physical characteristics Irom their respective T-metal. Their thermal
and chemical stability, their nonmetal-like nature, and their particulate size are
characteristics rendering the ORMEs suitable Ior many applications.
Rhodium and iridium S-ORMEs have been prepared which exhibit
superconductivity characteristics. These S-ORMEs, as described herein, are in a
lower energy state as compared to their respective T-metal, and thus have a lower
absolute temperature. The absolute temperature oI an S-ORME system as
compared to the absolute temperature oI its respective T-metal is signiIicantly
lower, similar to the condition existing when a metal goes through a glass
transition. S-ORMEs, having a very low absolute temperature, are good
superconductors. These same characteristics apply to all ORMEs. Accordingly, a
new source oI superconductive materials is made available by this invention. These
new materials require substantially less energy removal to reach the super-
conductivity state and, thereIore, can be used at higher temperatures than currently
available superconductors.
The ORMEs oI this invention can be used Ior a wide range oI purposes due to their
unique electrical, physical,

- 17 -
magnetic, and chemical properties. The present disclosure only highlights
superconductivity and catalysis, but much wider potential uses exist, including
energy production.
Having described the invention in general terms, the presently preIerred
embodiments will be set Iorth in reIerence to the drawing. In the drawing,
FIGURE 1 is a plot oI the transition elements showing the principle quantum number
versus the atomic number;
FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic sketch oI an electrodeposition apparatus used in Iorming
the metallic gold Irom the G-ORME;
FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic drawing oI a separation apparatus utilized in separating
ORMEs Irom ores according to the present invention;
FIGURE 4 is a plot oI an inIrared spectrum derived Irom an analysis oI a rhodium
ORME;
FIGURE 5 is the cycling magnetometry evaluation oI iridium S-ORME demonstrating
the phenomena oI negative magnetization and minimum (H
c1
) and maximum (H
c2
)
critical Iields. In addition, the Josephson eIIect is demonstrated by the
compensating current Ilows in response to the oscillations oI the sample in a
varying d.c. magnetic Iield;
FIGURE 6 is a diIIerential thermal analysis (DTA) oI hydrogen reduced iridium being
annealed under helium atmosphere. The exothermic reaction up to 400 C is due to
hydrogen and/or water bond breaking and the exothermic reaction commencing at
762 C is due to electron pairing and subsequent phonon emissions leading to S-
ORME system development oI the iridium ORME;
FIGURE 7 is a TGA oI hydrogen reduced iridium monoatoms subjected to Iour (4)
annealing cycles in a He atmosphere. It plots the heating and cooling time versus

- 18 -
temperature. Comparison to Figure 6 shows an initial weight loss due to hydrogen
and possibly water bond breaking. The signiIicant demonstration is the scale-
indicated weight loss corresponding to the second exothermic reaction shown in
FIGURE 6: and
FIGURES 8-9, FIGURES 10-11, FIGURES 12-13, FIGURES 14-15, FIGURES
16-17, are weight/temperature plots oI the alternate heating and cooling over Iive
cycles oI an iridium S-ORME in an He atmosphere.
In the examples, parts are by weight unless otherwise expressly stated.
Preparation oI G-ORME
G-ORME was prepared Irom metallic gold as Iollows:
(1) 50 mg gold (99.99 pure) were dispersed in 200 ml aqua regia to provide
clusters oI gold atoms.
(2) 60 ml concentrated hydrochloric acid were added to the dispersion and the
mixture was brought to boil, and continued boiling until the volume was reduced to
approximately 10-15 ml. 60 ml concentrated HCl were added, and the sample
brought to boil and checked Ior evolution oI NOCl Iumes. The process was
repeated until no Iurther Iumes evolved, thus indicating that the nitric acid had been
removed and the gold had been converted completely to the gold chloride.
(3) The volume oI the dispersion was reduced by careIul heating until the salt was
just dry. "Just dry" as used herein means that all oI the liquid had been boiled oII,
but the solid residue had not been "baked" or scorched.
(4) The just dry salts were again dispersed in aqua regia and steps (2) and (3) were
repeated. This treatment provides gold chloride clusters oI greater than 11 atoms.
(5) 150 ml 6M hydrochloric acid were added to the just dry salts and boiled again
to evaporate oII the liquid to just dry salts. This step was repeated Iour times. This

- 19 -
procedure leads to a greater degree oI sub-division to provide smaller clusters oI
gold chloride. At the end oI this procedure an orangish-red salt oI gold chloride is
obtained. The salt will analyze as substantially pure Au
2
Cl
6
.
(6) Sodium chloride is added in an amount whereby the sodium is present at a ratio
20 moles sodium per mole oI gold. The solution is then diluted with deionized
water to a volume oI 400 ml. The presence oI the aqueous sodium chloride
provides the salt Na
2
Au
2
Cl
8
. The presence oI water is essential to break apart the
diatoms oI gold.
(7) The aqueous sodium chloride solution is very gently boiled to a just dry salt,
and thereaIter the salts were taken up alternatively in 200 ml deionized water and
300 ml 6M hydrochloric acid until no Iurther change in color is evidenced. The 6M
hydrochloric acid is used in the last treatment.
(8) AIter the last treatment with 6M hydrochloric acid, and subsequent boildown,
the just dry salt is diluted with 400 ml deionized water to provide a monoatomic
gold salt solution oI NaAuCl
2
'XH
2
O. The pH is approximately 1.0.
(9) The pH is adjusted very slowly with dilute sodium hydroxide solution, while
constantly stirring, until the pH oI the solution remains constant at 7.0 Ior a period
oI more than twelve hours. This adjustment may take several days. Care must be
taken not to exceed pH 7.0 during the neutralization.
(10) AIter the pH is stabilized at pH 7.0, the solution is gently boiled down to 10 ml
and 10 ml concentrated nitric acid is added to provide a sodium-gold nitrate. As is
apparent, the nitrate is an oxidizer and removes the chloride. The product obtained
should be white crystals. II a black or brown precipitate Iorms, this is an indication
that there is still Na
2
Au
2
Cl
8
present. II present, it is then necessary to restart the
process at step (1).

- 20 -
(11) II white crystals are obtained, the solution is boiled to obtain just dry crystals.
It is important not to overheat, i.e., bake.
(12) 5 ml concentrated nitric acid are added to the crystals and again boiled to
where the solution goes to just dry. Again it is essential not to overheat or bake.
Steps (11) and (12) provide a complete conversion oI the product to a sodium-gold
nitrate. No chlorides are present.
(13) 10 ml deionized water are added and again boiled to just dry salts. This step is
repeated once. This step eliminates any excess nitric acid which may be present.
(14) ThereaIter, the just dry material is diluted to 80 ml with deionized water. The
solution will have a pH oI approximately 1. This step causes the nitrate to
dissociate to obtain NaAu in water with a small amount oI HNO
3
remaining .
(15) The pH is adjusted very slowly with dilute sodium hydroxide to 7.0 0.2. This
will eliminate all Iree acid, leaving only NaAu in water.
(16) The NaAu hydrolyzes with the water and dissociates to Iorm HAu. The
product will be a white precipitate in water. The Au atoms have water at the surIace
which creates a voluminous cotton-like product.
(17) The white precipitate is decanted oII Irom any dark gray solids and Iiltered
through a 0.45 micron cellulose nitrate Iilter paper. Any dark gray solids oI sodium
auride should be redissolved and again processed starting at step (1).
(18) The Iiltered white precipitate on the Iilter paper is vacuum dried at 120C Ior
two hours. The dry solid should be light grey in color which is HAuXH
2
O and is
easily removed Irom the Iilter paper.
(19) The monoatomic gold is placed in a porcelain ignition boat and annealed at
300C under an inert gas to remove hydrogen and to Iorm a very chemically and
thermally stable white gold monomer.

- 21 -
(20) AIter cooling, the ignited white gold can be cleaned oI remaining traces oI
sodium by digesting with dilute nitric acid Ior approximately one hour.
(21) The insoluble white gold is Iiltered on 0.45 micron paper and vacuum dried at
120C Ior two hours. The white powder product obtained Irom the Iiltration and
drying is pure G-ORME.
The G-ORME made according to this invention will exhibit the special properties
described in the "General Description" oI this application, including catalytic
activity, special magnetic properties, resistance to sintering at high temperatures,
and resistance to aqua regia and cyanide attack.
EXAMPLE 2
RECOVERY OF METALLIC GOLD
FROM NATURALLY OCCURRING MATERIAL CONTAINING G-ORMEs
(1) 300g oI dried material assayed by conventional techniques to show no gold
present, ground to less than 200 mesh, is placed in a one-gallon vessel, Iitted with
electrodes, with 120g NaCl (Morton rock salt), 10 g KBr, and 2 liters oI tap water.
(2) The anode consists oI a pair oI 3/8" x 12" carbon welding rods wrapped
together with No. 10 copper wire. The cathode consists oI 1-5/8" ID x 14" glass
tube with a medium porosity glass Irit (ASTM 10-15 M) with a 1" x 15" x 1/16"
stainless steel strip inside in a solution oI 36 g/l NaCl (approximately 500 ml). Both
electrodes are placed into the sample vessel and supported by clamps extending
about 5" into the sample solution.
(3) The sample is placed on a roller table at approximately 10 revolutions per
minute. The electrodes are connected to a power supply consisting oI a 120 volt
variac in conjunction with a 2-3 amp 400-600 PIV rectiIier. A 100 watt light bulb
and the electrodes are hooked in series. The rectiIier load is connected to the anode
since the rectiIier

- 22 -
Iilters out all negative voltage and only passes positive voltage.
(4) The sample is kept under load Ior a period oI 6-1/2 hours. The Iinal pH is in the
range oI 3 - 6.5. The voltage across the electrode is 5 volts.
(5) AIter disconnecting the load, the sample was allowed to settle and the solution
over the settled out material was removed by decantation using a peristallic pump.
(6) 800 ml oI the sample was placed in a 1000 ml beaker and 20 ml concentrated
sulIuric acid was added to the solution.
(7) With stirring, the solution was boiled down slowly on a hotplate until the
solution was just dry. "Just dry" is as deIined in Example 1. The just dry salt
contains sodium gold chloride.
(8) The just dry salt was taken up in 400 ml deionized water and again boiled down
to the just dry condition. There should be no discoloration at this point, i.e., a clear
solution is Iormed.
(9) The just dry salt was then taken up in 400 ml 6M HCl, and thereaIter boiled
down to the just dry condition. The dilution and boiling down step was repeated
Iour times, alternating with a deionized water and a 6M HCl wash, with the
sequence controlled so that the last washing was with 6M HCl. The purpose oI
steps (8) and (9) is to remove all traces oI hypochlorite oxidant.
(10) The just dry salts are taken up in 400 ml anhydrous ethanol and stirred Ior
approximately ten minutes. This step is to dissolve the gold chloride salt, to remove
the sodium chloride.
(11) AIter stirring, the slurry was Iiltered through #42 paper on a Buchner Iunnel.
(12) 5 ml oI concentrated sulIuric acid was slowly added to the Iiltrate, mixed, and
the Iiltrate was then allowed to sit Ior approximately one hour. The Iiltrate was

- 23 -
Iiltered through #42 Iilter paper on a Buchner Iunnel, and then passed through a
Iilter oI 0.5 micron TeIlon. The sulIuric acid precipitates out any calcium. Filtration
removes the precipitant and a light yellow Iiltrate is recovered, with all traces oI
calcium sulphate removed.
(13) The light yellow solution was again boiled down to just dry, taking care to
avoid any charring. At this point there should be no Iurther evaporation oI ethanol
and the just dry residue should be Iree oI color. The residue should have a sweet
smell similar to burnt sugar. The occurrence oI the sweet smell indicates the end
point oI the boil-down.
(14) The just dry residue is taken up in 600 ml deionized water to provide a water-
soluble gold Iorm which is the gold auride. II desired, the G-ORME can be
recovered at this stage or converted into metallic gold. For gold recovery, the
solution is put into a 1000 ml beaker and an electrolysis unit was set up as shown in
FIGURE 2 oI the drawing.
As shown in FIGURE 2 oI the drawing, the electrolysis unit comprises a 220 volt,
120 amp power supply (20) which is connected to the anode (12) and cathode (14)
oI the electrolytic cell. The solution is stirred using a magnetic stirrer (16). The
anode (12) is a gold electrode, 2 cm
2
in size, upon which gold in solution will plate
out. The cathode (14) comprises a 6.8 cm
2
platinum electrode contained in a
NaIion 117 chamber (18). NaIion 117 is a perIluorocarbon sulIonic acid membrane,
marketed by the duPont Company, and is a proton-conducting membrane. Inside
the NaIion chamber is 200 ml oI electrolyte solution containing 5ml sulIuric acid
per 600 ml oI electrolyte solution. It is important to keep the NaIion chamber wet at
all times. The potential was measured across the electrodes and then an additional -
2.2 volts potential was applied and maintained Ior a period oI two hours.

- 24 -
(15) AIter the two hours, the potential was raised to 3.0 volts and maintained Ior
approximately 18 hours. Bubbles Iormed on both the gold and platinum electrodes.
A black material Iormed on the gold electrode aIter three to Iour hours.
(16) The gold electrode was removed Irom solution while voltage was still being
applied. The electrode was dried in a vacuum oven overnight at 115C. The
electrode was weighed beIore and aIter the plating to determine the amount oI gold
collected.
The metallic gold is, thereIore, produced Irom a naturally occurring ore which,
when subjected to conventional assaying, does not test positive Ior gold.
EXAMPLE 3
The Preparation oI Platinum Group Elements
In Monoatomic State (ORMEs) From Pure Metals
The non-metallic, monoatomic transition elements oI the platinum group are
prepared as Iollows:
(1) A selected sample oI pure metal or metal salts Irom the group platinum,
palladium, ruthenium, osmium, rhodium, or iridium are pulverized to a Iinely
divided powder.
(2) 5.0 g oI a single select elemental metal powder is intimately blended with 30 g
sodium peroxide and 10 g sodium hydroxide (silica Iree) in an agate mortar and
pestle.
(3) The blended sample is placed in a zirconium crucible and Iused over a Meeker
burner at maximum heat Ior 30 minutes.
(4) AIter cooling the melt, the crucible is placed into a 600 ml beaker containing
300 ml oI 6M HCl.
(5) The melt should completely dissolve into the HCl. The crucible is removed
Irom the solution and rinsed with

- 25 -
water, and the HCl solution is careIully inspected Ior any insoluble metals or metal
oxides which, iI present, must be Iiltered out and Iused again as in step (2) above.
(6) The HCl solution is gently boiled down to just dry salts. "Just dry" is as deIined
in Example 1.
(7) The just dry salts are taken up in 300 ml oI pH 1 HCl solution and then gently
boiled down to salts again. The salts at this point, depending on the selected metal
sample, are alkali chlorides together with alkali-cluster-noble metals-metal
chlorides.
(8) The procedure oI steps (6) and (7) is repeated Iour times, being careIul not to
bake the salts.
(9) The salts are diluted with 400 ml oI deionized water.
(10) 30 ml oI concentrated perchloric acid is added to the solution and then slowly
boiled to Iumes oI perchloric acid.
(11) Steps (9) and (10) are repeated three additional times. II the solution salts out
beIore Iuming is achieved, it is necessary to add an additional 5 ml oI perchloric
acid to replace acid lost in Iuming. II ruthenium or osmium is the select metal, steps
(10), (11) and (12) must be carried out under reIlux and washed back with water
since ruthenium and osmium will volatilize. The salts at this point, depending on
the selected metal sample, are alkali monoatomic noble metal oxides.
(12) The salts are diluted to 400ml with deionized water.
(13) The pH is adjusted very slowly with sodium hydroxide solution until the
solution maintains the pH oI 7.0 0.2 Ior more than 12 hours.
(14) Boil the solution Ior several hours, adding deionized water to maintain 400 ml
during the entire boiling until a reddish-brown hydroxide precipitant is Iormed
which is Iiltered on a Iine Iritted, glass Iilter.

- 26 -
(15) The hydroxide precipitant is dissolved oII the Iritted glass Iilter with 400ml oI
pH 1 HCl and then boiled Ior approximately ten minutes. II the sample contains
rhodium or iridium, sodium bromate should be added as an oxidant prior to boiling.
(16) The solution is neutralized slowly with sodium bicarbonate to pH 7, and the
solution is boiled again and allowed to cool.
(17) The precipitant which is Iormed is Iiltered again through a Iine Iritted glass
Iilter. The material at this point, depending on the selected metal sample, is a
monoatomic noble element hydroxide.
(18) The hydroxide together with the Iilter are vacuum dried at 120C Ior
approximately 12 hours.
(19) The dried material is careIully transIerred Irom the Iilter to a quartz ignition
boat.
(20) The ignition boat is placed in a cold tube Iurnace and the temperature is slowly
(2C/min) raised under a hydrogen atmosphere to 600C and held at this temperature
Ior one hour and then slowly (2.5C/min) cooled down to room temperature under
hydrogen and then the sample is purged with argon Ior approximately one hour to
remove occluded hydrogen. The material, an ORME, will be a greyish-black
powder and will be completely amorphous to x-ray analysis. In other words, a
certiIied pure noble metal powder has been converted to a "non-analyzable" Iorm.
At this point the ORMEs, depending upon the selected element sample, will be
orbitally rearranged due to the d orbital hole or holes, i.e., positive hole(s). The
ORMEs are identiIied as having an inIrared doublet between 1400 and 1600 cm
-1
.
The doublet indicates the presence oI an electron pair moving between the d and s
orbitals.
These materials have a number oI applications as previously described, one oI
which is as catalysts in an electrochemical cell.

- 27 -
EXAMPLE 4
PROCEDURE FOR SEPARATION OF PLATINUM GROUP
ELEMENTS (PGEs) FROM ORE CONTAINING ORMEs
The class oI ores which are processed to Iorm ORMEs, when analyzed by
conventional instruments normally used Ior determination oI Platinum Group
Metals (PGM), will indicate that essentially no metals oI this PGM group are
present.
In the separation oI the PGE Irom the ore, the pretreatment oI the ore sample is
crucial. II the sample is not prepared properly, the PGEs in their ORME state are
virtually impossible to separate. The separated elements are not necessarily in an
ORME state.
The purpose oI the pretreatment is primarily Ior the removal oI silica. Pretreatment
comprises crushing and pulverizing the ore to a Iine powder (-200 mesh). A sample
oI 50 g oI the pulverized ore and 100 g ammonium biIluoride, NH
4
HF
2
, are
weighed and placed in a 1000 ml TeIlon beaker. The ore and NH
4
HF
2
are
moistened with distilled water and approximately 200 ml HF (hydroIluoric acid) is
added. The sample is baked to dryness on a hotplate. This procedure is repeated
Iour times each with more HF. The sample is transIerred to a platinum dish and
roasted over a hot Ilame until the sample turns a dull red-brown color. AIter this
treatment, most oI the silica has been removed as H
2
SiF
6
(white Iumes that evolve
during roasting).
The sample is now placed in a zirconium crucible with 200 g NaNO
3
(sodium
nitrate) and 500g Na
2
CO
3
(sodium carbonate). The sample is then Iused using a
Fisher burner and a propane torch to a red hot melt. When cool, the Iusion should
be an aquamarine color, or a light brown color. The light brown color means the
sample has passed through the aquamarine stage. This poses no problems in the
subsequent separation and determination oI the PGEs. II the melt cools to a light
green color, Iusion is not com-

- 28 -
plete. It must be Iused again until it reaches the aquamarine end point.
In the zirconium crucible containing the cooled melt, place an "X" shaped TeIlon
coated stirring bar and minimum amount oI distilled water. Place the crucible in a
beaker and cover with a watch glass. Place the beaker on a stir plate to
slurry/dissolve the sample Irom the crucible. A minimum amount oI distilled water
should be used in the removal. The sample is now ready Ior distillation.
(1) DISTILLATION AND SEPARATION OF OSMIUM AND RUTHENIUM
The Iirst PGEs are separated by a perchloric acid distillation with ruthenium and
osmium being distilled oII as RuO
4
and OsO
4
. Platinum, palladium, rhodium, and
iridium are leIt in the pot liquor. The distillation apparatus in diagrammatic Iorm is
illustrated in FIGURE 3 oI the drawing, as used on a 5 g sample oI ore.
ReIerring to FIGURE 3 oI the drawing,
Flask #1 has a 500 ml volume and contains 5g oI ore in 250 ml oI solution/slurry.
Flask #2 has a 250 ml volume with 60 ml 1:1 HCl and 15 ml 30 H
2
O
2.

Flask #3 has a 50 ml volume with 20 ml 1:1 HCl and 15 ml 30 H
2
O
2
.
Flask #4 has a 200 ml volume with 100 ml 1:1 HCl saturated with SO
2
(sulIur
dioxide).
Flasks #5 and #6 have a 100 ml volume with 60 ml 1:1 HCl saturated with SO
2.

The Ilasks are all interconnected with glass conduits and ground glass ball and
socket joints.
The distillation proceeds as Iollows: A closed system is used with N
2
(nitrogen) as
a carrier gas Ior RuO
4
and OsO
4
. To Flask #1 60 ml oI 70 HClO
4
(perchloric
acid) is added slowly Irom the separatory Iunnel 10. Once all oI the HClO
4
is
added, the Ilask is heated. At a temperature

- 29 -
oI 105-112C, a white cloud is seen Ilowing into Flask #2. The heat is continued
until Iumes oI HClO
4
begin to come oII at approximately 175C. The heating is
continued to 210C when the temperature stops rising. The system is then cooled to
100C. At this point 20 ml oI 70 HClO
4
and 20 ml distilled water are added to
Flask #1, again through the separatory Iunnel; and the system is heated to 210C
again, then cooled again to 100C. 10 ml oI 70 HClO
4
and 10 ml distilled water
are added to Flask #1 and the sample is heated again to 210C. The distillation is
repeated once more as beIore.
AIter the Iourth distillation, the heat on Flask #1 is turned oII and heat is applied to
Flask #2, bringing it to a boil slowly to drive any OsO
4
out oI the RuO
4
Iraction.
Nitrogen purge gas is still Ilowing and must be controlled to prevent back Ilow.
Boiling is continued until Flask #3 is almost Iull or the H
2
O
2
has been almost
driven out oI Flask #3. The presence oI H
2
O
2
is indicated by tiny bubbles Iorming
all over the glass surIace. The entire system is then cooled to room temperature,
with the nitrogen gas Ilowing continuously through the cool down.
The distillation receiving Ilasks are then dismantled. Flask #4, #5, and #6 contain
the osmium Iraction as OsO
4
. These are combined in a 600 ml beaker. Flask #2 and
#3 contain the ruthenium Iraction as RuO
4
and are combined in a 600 ml beaker.
The contents oI Flask #1 which contains platinum, palladium, rhodium, and iridium
are retained in the distillation Ilask to remove HClO
4
by heating to dryness as
described in Section 4. These Iractions are now ready Ior Iurther analysis and
separation. The osmium and ruthenium Iractions must sit in solution at room
temperature Ior 16-24 hours beIore continuing with the steps (2) and (3).

- 30 -
(2) SEPARATION OF OSMIUM
The osmium distillate aIter sitting Ior 16-24 hours at room temperature is processed
as Iollows: The osmium Iraction Irom the distillation is slowly evaporated to
approximately 10 ml oI solution. Then 25 ml oI concentrated HCl (hydrochloric
acid) are added and the sample is again evaporated to approximately 10 ml. This is
repeated Iive times. On the last digestion, the sample is careIully taken to moist
salts at which point it is diluted to 200 ml with distilled water and brought to a boil.
The hot solution is Iiltered through #42 Whatman paper, washing with a minimum
amount oI 0.1 N HCl.
AIter cooling to approximately 40C, the pH oI the sample is then slowly adjusted
on a calibrated pH meter using a saturated solution oI NaHCO
3
(sodium
bicarbonate), to a pH oI 4 while stirring vigorously. The solution then is gently
boiled Ior 5-10 minutes, removed Irom the heat, and let stand Ior a period oI at
least twelve hours. The osmium precipitates are a reddish-brown hydrated dioxide.
The solution is Iiltered through a dry, tared porcelain Iilter crucible using the
Walters crucible holder. Most oI the solution is decanted through the Iilter crucible,
being careIul not to disturb or Iloat the precipitate. The Iilter should not pull dry.
Pour the last 100-200 ml oI solution containing precipitate in the Iilter. Be prepared
to immediately rinse the precipitate with hot 1 w/v NH
4
Cl solution (Iiltered
through 0.45 micron pad during preparation). A wetted rubber policeman is used to
thoroughly scrub the beaker and rinse aIter each scrub with hot 1 NH
4
Cl.
The crucible is dried overnight at 105C in a vacuum oven. The cooled, dry crucible
is weighed and the approximate osmium value is calculated Irom this OsO
2
weight.
With the crucible on vacuum again, the precip-

- 31 -
itate is rinsed with two aliquots oI 20 ml each saturated NH
4
Cl solution. Leave 100-
200 mg oI the solid NH
4
Cl on the precipitate. Dry gently in a vacuum oven Ior 1-2
hours at 100C.
The sample is now ready Ior tube Iurnace hydrogen reduction. Place the Iilter
crucible on its side in a quartz tube, and insert the tube into the Iurnace center. Start
argon and hydrogen gas Ilow through the Iurnace. Allow the temperature to
increase slowly to dehydrate the precipitate without igniting it. Decrease the argon
Ilow until only hydrogen Ilows. Then heat at 360-375C until all NH
4
Cl is sublimed.
Continue heating the precipitate in hydrogen only at 500C Ior 20 minutes to
complete reduction to osmium metal. Cool the crucible in hydrogen to ambient
temperature. Replace hydrogen with carbon dioxide Ior 20 minutes to prevent any
oxidation when the reduced metal is Iirst exposed to air. Weigh as elemental
osmium.
(3) SEPARATION OF RUTHENIUM
The ruthenium distillate aIter sitting 16-24 hours at room temperature is processed
as Iollows: The ruthenium Iraction Irom the distillation is slowly evaporated to
approximately 10 ml oI solution. Then 25 ml oI concentrated HCl are added and
the sample is digested again to approximately 10 ml. This procedure is repeated
Iive times. On the last digestion, the sample is careIully taken to moist salts on a
steam bath. The sample must not be hot enough Ior HClO
4
traces to reoxidize the
ruthenium. Add 200 ml oI distilled water, and bring the solution to a boil. Filter the
hot solution through No. 42 Whatman paper, washing with a minimum amount oI
0.1 N HCl.
AIter cooling to approximately 40C, the pH oI the sample is slowly adjusted on a
calibrated pH meter with a saturated solution oI NaHCO
3
to pH 6 while stirring
vigorously. The solution is brought to a gentle boil Ior 5-10

- 32 -
minutes beIore removing it Irom the heat. The sample is permitted to stand Ior a
period oI at least twelve hours. The ruthenium precipitates as a yellowish-brown
hydrated dioxide.
The solution is Iiltered through a #42 Whatman ashless Iilter paper wetted with 1
w/v (NH
4
)
2
SO
4
(Iiltered through a 0.45 micron pad during preparation). Decant
most oI the solution through the Iilter paper, being careIul not to disturb or Iloat the
precipitate. Pour the last 100-200 ml oI solution containing most oI the hydrated
oxide in the paper all at once. A wetted rubber policeman is used to thoroughly
scrub the beaker. A piece oI #42 ashless Iilter paper wetted with 1 w/v (NH
4
)
2
SO
4
is used to complete the transIer. The precipitate is washed twice with hot 1
w/v (NH
4
)
2
SO
4
and once with hot 2.5 w/v (NH
4
)
2
SO
4
. The Iilter is allowed to
drain as dry as possible.
The paper is transIerred to a tared quartz boat, and dried gently in an oven at 110C.
The boat is placed in a quartz tube Ior Iinal Iiring and reduction in the tube Iurnace.
From a cold start (below 100C), pass enough air over the sample to ignite the paper
without mechanical loss oI precipitate. Increase the Iurnace temperature slowly to
500C and maintain this temperature until the paper ignition is complete. Pull the
boat out oI the heated section and allow it to cool to 150C or less. Purge the tube
with argon, then hydrogen. Complete the hydrogen reduction with sample in the
heated section at 500C, then to 600C Ior 20-30 minutes.
Pull the sample out oI the heated section to cool to less than 100C with hydrogen
being passed over the sample. Complete the cooling with carbon dioxide to ambient
temperature (approximately 10-15 minutes).
The cooled ruthenium is washed twice with 1 w/v (NH
4
)
2
SO
4
to dissolve the last
traces oI soluble salts. Ignite again in air and hydrogen as described above. Weigh
as elemental ruthenium.

- 33 -
(4) SEPARATION OF PLATINUM
The platinum, palladium, rhodium, and iridium Iraction in HClO
4
Irom the
distillation is evaporated to dryness in a beaker. The procedure takes considerable
time and care since HClO
4
is being Iumed oII. When the sample reaches a dry salt
state and is cooled, distilled water and concentrated HCl are added, and the sample
is evaporated again. The water, HCl treatment is repeated twice more. AIter the
sample has been evaporated Ior the last time, it is diluted with distilled water to 300
ml. The sample is now ready to separate platinum Irom rhodium, palladium, and
iridium. At this stage either an ion-exchange process, which is designed Ior
production oI larger quantities oI separated ORMEs, or a non-precise quantitative
separation may be used. The Iollowing procedure details the quantitative
separation.
The sample is brought to a boil and 200 ml oI 10 w/v NaBrO
3
(sodium bromate)
solution are added and the sample is boiled again. When the sample has reached
boiling, it is removed Irom the heat, cooled to 40C, and the pH is adjusted with a
calibrated pH meter to pH 6 with a saturated NaCHO
3
solution. 100 ml oI 10
NaBrO
3
are added and the solution is brought to a gentle boil Ior 15 minutes. The
sample is then cooled and the precipitate is allowed to coagulate Ior 20-30 minutes.
The sample is then Iiltered on a medium porosity Iritted glass Iilter and washed
with 1 NaCl solution pH 6.5 - 7.5 (Iiltered during preparation through a 0.45
micron pad). The Iiltrate contains the platinum and the precipitate contains
palladium, rhodium, and iridium as PdO
2
, RhO
2
and IrO
2
in hydrated Iorm. The
precipitate is redissolved with 6N HCl, boiled and reprecipitated as above two or
more times to ensure complete separation oI platinum Irom palladium, rhodium,
and iridium.

- 34 -
The Iiltrates Irom the three precipitations are combined in a 1000 ml beaker and 50
ml oI concentrated HCl are added. The sample is boiled to dryness to remove
bromine and any traces oI HClO
4
that still might be present. Add 50 ml oI water
and 50 ml concentrated HCl. Boil to dryness again and repeat two more times, with
the last time being to provide moist crystals rather than boiling to dryness. The
sample is diluted to 200 ml with distilled water and 40 ml oI HCl are added.
The sample is heated to a gentle boil and a stream oI H
2
(hydrogen) gas is passed
through the sample Ior ten minutes, Iollowed by passing a stream oI H
2
S (hydrogen
sulIide) gas through the solution while continuing with a Ilow oI H
2
. The solution is
allowed to cool while H
2
S is passing though it. The platinum precipitates as brown
black PtS
2
.
The solids are Iiltered through #42 Whatman ashless Iilter paper and the precipitate
washed with 1 v/v HCl. The Iilter and precipitate are transIerred to a tared
porcelain crucible. The Iilter is dried gently, then the residue ignited in air to red
heat using a Meeker burner. The metal residue is leached with 1 v/v HCl and
washed onto a second #42 ashless Iilter paper. The residue is washed thoroughly
with hot distilled water. The Iilter is transIerred to the same porcelain crucible,
dried, and heated to red heat using a Meeker burner. The residue is weighed as
platinum metal. The PtS
2
precipitate can also be reduced under H
2
in the tube
Iurnace.
(5) SEPARATION OF PALLADIUM
The precipitate oI hydrated dioxides oI palladium, rhodium, and iridium remaining
Irom step (4) are dissolved in 1000 ml oI 6 N HCl and diluted to 4000 ml with
distilled water. The sample is then Iiltered on a 0.45 micron Iilter. To the solution is
added a suIIicient volume oI 1 w/v dimethylglyoxime in 95 ethanol (250 ml) to
precipitate all the palladium with gentle boiling. The sample is set aside

- 35 -
Ior a minimum oI one hour, then Iiltered into a tared porcelain Iilter crucible. Wash
with 0.1 N HCl and then with water. The Iiltrate is retained Ior rhodium and
iridium separation. The precipitate is dried at 1100C and the yellow precipitate is
weighed as palladium dimethylglyoxime, with palladium being 31.67 w/w oI the
total precipitate.
(6) SEPARATION OF RHODIUM
The Iiltrate Irom the Iirst palladium precipitation is diluted to 500 ml and 10 ml oI
concentrated H
2
SO
4
and 10 ml oI concentrated HNO
3
are added. The Iiltrate is
evaporated with heat until heavy Iumes oI H
2
SO
4
are evolved. AIter cooling, 10 ml
concentrated HNO
3
are added and again heated until Iumes are evolved. This
treatment is repeated until no more charring results and all organic material has
been destroyed. The solution remaining is cooled and 20 ml water are added.
Evaporation with heating to heavy Iumes is again repeated. The water wash is
repeated two times to destroy any nitroso compounds that might interIere in the
rhodium determination.
The solution is diluted to 200 ml and heated to boiling. A solution oI 20 TiCl
3

(titanous chloride) is added dropwise until the solution retains a slight pink color.
Boil the solution Ior two minutes, cool, and Iilter the solution through Whatman
#42 ashless Iilter paper. II any rhodium has precipitated out, wash the paper with
0.9 N H
2
SO
4
. Then char the Iilter paper in a 5 ml concentrated H
2
SO
4
. Add 5 ml
HNO
3
to heat and destroy organic matter as previously described. Dilute the
solution with 50 ml water and combine with the Iiltrate Irom the TiCl
3

precipitation.
The rhodium is separated Irom the iridium by removal oI the excess titanium in a
cupIerron extraction with chloroIorm. The solution is chilled in an ice bath and
placed in a 500 ml separatory Iunnel. To this 5 ml aliquots oI chilled 6 aqueous
cupIerron are added, giving a milky yellow solution. II the cupIerron solution is
dar-

- 36 -
kened, it should be treated with activated charcoal and Iiltered through a 0.45
micron pad. The titanium is extracted in 25 ml aliquots oI cold chloroIorm. The
extract is a clear yellow solution which is poured into a waste container. When no
more yellow color is extracted, another 5 ml aliquot oI cupIerron solution is added.
AIter many aliquots to remove the yellow titanium cupIerrate, the extract turns a
red brown. This Iraction is collected in a separate beaker as the rhodium Iraction.
All extractions Iollowing this are added to the rhodium Iraction in a 600 ml beaker.
The extraction is complete when an aliquot oI cupIerron turns the solution milky
white and the chloroIorm extract is clear to very light green. Retain the solution Ior
iridium separation.
The extract is evaporated to dryness separating the chloroIorm Irom the rhodium
Iraction. 50 ml oI aqua regia are added and the sample is evaporated to dryness to
destroy organic material. Add 10 ml concentrated H
2
SO
4
and 10 ml HNO
3
and heat
to Iumes. Repeat HNO
3
treatment until no more charring results and all organic
material has been destroyed. The solution is cooled and 20 ml water is added,
Iollowed by evaporation to heavy Iumes again. Repeat the water wash two times to
destroy any nitroso compounds.
The sample solution is diluted to 200 ml with water. Then 10 ml oI 10 NaBrO
3
is
added and the sample is heated to boiling. The sample is then cooled to 40C and the
pH adjusted to pH 6.0 with NaHCO
3
. 10 ml oI NaBrO
3
are added and the sample
heated to a boil. The sample is cooled and Iiltered on a weighed porcelain crucible.
The sample is dried in a vacuum oven and the precipitate is weighed as RhO
2
.
The material is then puriIied by dissolving the RhO
2
precipitate Irom the weighing
crucible with 6 N HCl and evaporate to moist salts and proceed as above.
The rhodium oxide is removed Irom the weighing crucible by using a 20 v/v
H
2
SO
4
solution. Then dilute the

- 37 -
solution to 200 ml with water, and heat to boiling. Add dropwise a solution oI 20
TiCl
3
until the solution retains a slight pink color while boiling. A precipitate oI
rhodium will Iorm. Allow the solution to cool to 40C. II it loses color, boil and add
more TiCl
3
. II color remains, Iilter through Whatman #42 ashless Iilter paper. The
precipitate is washed with hot 10 v/v H
2
SO
4
until the Iiltrate ceases to show the
orange titanium complex with H
2
O
2,
then wash twice more.
Redissolve the rhodium as beIore to destroy the organic material. Add 10 ml
concentrated H
2
SO
4
and 10 ml oI HNO
3
to char the paper. Repeat the HNO
3

treatment until no more charring results and all organic material has been
destroyed. Cool the solution, add 200 ml water, and evaporate to heavy Iumes
again. Repeat the water treatment two times to destroy any nitroso compounds.
Add 20 ml oI water and 10 ml oI concentrated HCl. Gently boil the solution 15
minutes to get the rhodium into the state Irom which it can be precipitated as a
sulIide. During treatment the color oI the solution will change Irom yellow to rose.
Filter the solution #42 Whatman Iilter paper and wash with 1 v/v HCl. Dilute the
solution to 400 ml with water.
Precipitate the rhodium as sulIide Irom the solution kept at the boiling point by
passing a rapid stream oI H
2
S (hydrogen sulIide) gas through it. Allow the solution
to cool with H
2
S passing through it. Allow the brown-black rhodium sulIide to
settle.
Filter the produce sulIide through #42 Whatman ashless Iilter paper. Wash with
2.5 v/v H
2
SO
4
and Iinally with 1 v/v HCl. Finally, dry the Iilter paper gently in
a tared quartz boat.
Place the boat in the quartz tube Ior Iinal Iiring and reduction in the tube Iurnace.
From a cold start (below 100C), pass enough air over the sample to ignite the paper

- 38 -
without mechanical loss oI precipitate. Increase the Iurnace temperature slowly to
500C and maintain this temperature until paper ignition is complete. Then complete
the air Iiring at 900C Ior 20 minutes. Pull the crucible out oI the heated section and
allow it to cool to 200C or less. Purge the tube with argon, then hydrogen.
Complete the hydrogen reduction with sample in the heated section at 900C Ior 20-
30 minutes.
Pull the sample out oI the heated section to cool to less than 100C, with hydrogen
being passed over the sample. Complete the cooling with carbon dioxide to ambient
temperature Ior 10-15 minutes.
Wash the cooled rhodium twice by decantation with cool 1 w/v (NH
4
)
2
SO
2
to
dissolve the last traces oI soluble salts. Dry gently, ignite again in air and hydrogen
as described above. Weigh as elemental rhodium.
(7) SEPARATION OF IRIDIUM
The solution leIt in the separatory Iunnel Irom the cupIerron extraction contains the
iridium. TransIer it quantitatively with a 1 v/v H
2
SO
4
wash to a 600 ml beaker.
Add 10 ml oI concentrated HNO
3
. Evaporate to heavy Iumes oI H
2
SO
4
. Cool, add
10 ml more HNO
3
and again heat to Iumes. Repeat this treatment until no more
charring results and all organic material has been destroyed. Cool the solution, add
20 ml water and evaporate to heavy Iumes again. Repeat with the water treatment
two times to destroy any nitroso compounds. Dilute with water to 300 ml.
Bring the sample to a boil and add 20 ml oI 10 w/v NaBrO
3
solution and boil
again. When the sample has reached boiling, it is removed Irom the heat, cooled to
40C, and the pH is adjusted with a calibrated pH meter to 7 with saturated NaHCO
3

solution. Add 10 ml oI 10 NaBrO
3
and bring to a gentle boil Ior 15 minutes. The
sample is then cooled slowly and the precipitate is allowed to coagulate Ior 20-30
minutes.

- 39 -
The precipitate is Iiltered into a tared porcelain crucible in a Walters crucible
holder. Decant most oI the solution through the Iilter crucible, being careIul not to
disturb or Iloat the precipitate. Do not let the Iilter pull dry. Pour the last 10-20 ml
oI solution containing the precipitate into the Iilter. Be prepared to immediately
rinse and police and beaker with 10 w/v NaC1 solution. Dry the Iilter at 110C
under vacuum Ior 1-2 hours. Dissolve the precipitate with 6N HCl and evaporate to
moist salts and proceed as beIore, Ior a cleaner iridium Iraction.
Wet the precipitate with saturated NH
4
Cl solution and approximately 100 mg oI
solid NH
4
Cl. Dry gently in a vacuum oven again at 110C Ior 1-2 hours.
The sample at this point, which is the hydrated iridium ORME can be treated by
alternate procedures. In the Iirst procedure the sample will be treated to provide an
iridium S-ORME and then utilized to establish the existence oI a Meissner Iield, a
property unique to superconducting materials. In the second procedure, the sample
will be treated so as to Iorm elemental iridium.
Procedure A
The iridium Iraction is placed in a quartz ignition boat and the boat inserted into a
tube Iurnace Ior slow reduction under hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas is Ilowed
slowly over the sample maintaining a slight positive pressure in the tube at all
times. The temperature oI the tube Iurnace is raised very slowly and uniIormly up
to 850C, taking care not to allow the heating rate to exceed 2C per minute. The
850C temperature is maintained Ior one hour, then the sample is slowly cooled
under hydrogen gas, being careIul not to exceed a 2.5C reduction in temperature
per minute until room temperature has been achieved. Nitrogen gas is then
introduced into the tube and the hydrogen gas is shut oII. The tube is then purged
Ior eight hours with nitrogen gas. The sample at this point will be a grey-black

- 40 -
amorphous powder. The powder is removed Irom the tube and then placed in a
protected area so that it can react with air Ior at least two days (48 hours).
Approximately 10 mg oI the resultant powder is transIerred to a controlled
atmosphere biIilar-wound heating element Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA)
instrument (Perkin-Elmer Thermal Analysis (PE/TGS-2), Temperature Programmer
(PE/System 4), Thermal Data Station (PE/TADS). And Graphics Plotter
(PE/THERM PLTTR). The sample is heated in the instrument at the rate oI 1.2C
per minute under an atmosphere oI helium gas to 850C, and then immediately
cooled at 2C per minute to room temperature. The heating and cooling cycles are
repeated Iour times.
The biIilar winding oI the heating element possesses an extremely small magnetic
Iield in that the weighed sample can never be exactly equal distance Irom both
wires due to the winding conIiguration. The depolarized Iield will not react with
ordinary metal samples or normal magnetic (N-S polarized) materials. However, a
superconductor will react with an external magnetic Iield, even one oI small
magnitude.
FIGURES 8-9, FIGURES 10-11, FIGURES 12-13, FIGURES 14-15, FIGURES
16-17, which are weight/temperature plots oI alternate heating and cooling oI the
iridium S-ORME sample material over Iive cycles, depict the Meissner Iield
generation and the Irequent collapsing and regeneration oI the Iield. SpeciIically,
FIGURE 8 , Plot IR1H1, demonstrates the Iirst heating cycle which establishes
approximately a 26 weight loss. This weight loss is primarily due to loss oI
water. FIGURE 9, Plot IR1C1, read Irom the right to the leIt with 100 being the
75 oI Plot IR1H1 (FIGURE 8), demonstrates weight gain and Ilux jumping upon
cooling. The apparent weight gain and Ilux jumping establishes that the material is
superconductive. A material such as iron which is not superconductive would show
a plot which is essentially a Ilat line. The remaining plots, i.e., FIGURES 10-17,
showing the eIIect oI alternate heating and cooling, estab-

- 41 -
lish that each treatment extends the Meissner Iield generation in the direction oI
room temperature. FIGURE 17, Plot IR1C5, shows the Ilux jumping very close to
room temperature.
The sample, aIter the above annealing treatment has been completed, will be white
in color. The white powder is chemically inert to normal oxidation-reduction
chemistries. It does not gain weight readily on exposure to air. However, gases
such as nitrogen, oxygen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide do apparently
adsorb to the surIace resulting in "Ilux pinning" as the term is used in describing
behavior oI superconducting materials oI the S-ORME.
Procedure B
The sample is subjected to Iurnace ignition and hydrogen reduction. Place the Iilter
crucible on its side in the quartz tube and insert into the tube Iurnace center. Start
the air Ilowing gently. Allow the temperature to increase slowly to dehydrate the
precipitate completely. Heat until all NH
4
Cl is sublimed at 360-375C. Continue
heating in air to 800C.
Remove the crucible Irom the heated section oI the Iurnace and cool to 200C or
less. Purge the tube with argon, then hydrogen. Complete the hydrogen reduction oI
the sample in the heated section at 800C Ior 20-30 minutes.
Pull the sample out oI the heated section to cool to less than 100C while hydrogen
is being passed over the sample. Complete the cooling by treatment with carbon
dioxide Ior 10-15 minutes to ambient temperature.
Wash the cooled iridium with 1 w/v (NH
4
)
2
SO
4


- 42 -
twice to dissolve the last traces oI soluble salts. Dry gently, ignite again in air and
hydrogen as described above. Weigh as elemental iridium, or the Ir-ORME. II the
sample is partially dissolved in aqua regia in preparation Ior an Inductively
Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) testing, then the instrument will
indicate the presence oI metallic iridium. In other words, prior to treatment oI the
ore, conventional assay techniques indicated that no iridium was present. AIter
treatment and separation oI the ORMEs, a slow reduction under hydrogen gas,
Iollowed by aqua regia treatment, will convert part oI the Ir-ORMEs into their
constituent T-metal.
As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, various modiIications can be made
within the scope oI the aIoresaid description. Such modiIications being within the
ability oI one skilled in the art Iorm a part oI the present invention and are
embraced by the appended claims.

- 43 -
THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:
THE CLAIMS:
1. In a separated and substantially pure, stable Iorm, a non-metallic, orbitally
rearranged monoatomic transition or noble metal element selected Irom the group
consisting oI cobalt, nickel, copper, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, ruthenium,
rhodium, iridium, and osmium having a d orbital hole sharing energy with an
electron or electrons, said shared energy identiIied as a doublet in an inIrared
spectrum oI Irom between about 1400 and 1600
-1
cm.
2. The orbitally rearranged monoatomic element oI claim 1 wherein said element is
gold.
3. The orbitally rearranged monoatomic element oI claim 1 wherein said element is
silver.
4. The orbitally rearranged monoatomic element oI claim 1 wherein said element is
copper.
5. The orbitally rearranged monoatomic element oI claim 1 wherein said element is
palladium.
6. The orbitally rearranged monoatomic element oI claim 1 wherein said element is
platinum.
7. The orbitally rearranged monoatomic element oI claim 1 wherein said element is
ruthenium.
8. The orbitally rearranged monoatomic element oI claim 1 wherein said element is
rhodium.
9. The orbitally rearranged monoatomic element oI claim 1 wherein said element is
iridium.

- 44 -
10. The orbitally rearranged monoatomic element oI claim 1 wherein said element
is osmium.
11. The orbitally rearranged monoatomic element oI claim 1 wherein said element
is cobalt.
12. The orbitally rearranged monoatomic element oI claim 1 wherein said element
is nickel.
13. Process oI Iorming a non-metallic, orbitally rearranged monoatomic Iorm oI an
element selected Irom the group consisting oI cobalt, nickel, copper, silver, gold,
palladium, platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, and osmium Irom the
corresponding element in metal Iorm comprising treating said metal Iorm by
Iorming a salt thereoI, exhaustively solubilizing and evaporating said salt in an
aqueous medium until a diatom oI said metal Iorm is obtained; and thereaIter
treating said diatom with an alkali metal in the presence oI water to Iorm said
orbitally rearranged, stable monoatomic Iorm oI said element.
14. Process oI Iorming a metal selected Irom the group consisting oI cobalt, nickel,
copper, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, and
osmium Irom a material having the corresponding element present in a non-
metallic, orbitally rearranged monoatomic stable Iorm oI said element, comprising
separating said element in said orbitally rearranged monoatomic Iorm Irom said
material, and then subjecting said separated, non-metallic, orbitally rearranged
mono-atomic stable Iorm to a two-step negative potential oI at least 1.8 to 2.2 V
initially, and then to at least 2.5 V until the said element is Iormed by electroplating
techniques.

- 45 -
15. Process oI Iorming a metal selected Irom the group consisting oI cobalt, nickel,
silver, palladium, platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, and osmium Irom a
material having the corresponding element present in a non-metallic, orbitally
rearranged monoatomic stable Iorm oI said element, comprising subjecting said
element in said orbitally rearranged monoatomic stable Iorm to a treatment with
nitric oxide at elevated temperatures.
16. Process oI treating the stable non-metallic, orbitally rearranged monoatomic
transition or noble metal element oI claim 1 by subjecting said element to alternate
heating and cooling cycles under an inert gas and supplying an external magnetic
Iield to said element until said element no longer exhibits a doublet in the inIrared
spectrum and exhibits magnetic Ilux exclusion at temperatures above 200K.
17. The product Iormed by the process oI claim 16.
DATED this 19th day oI June 1989.
CONCORD RESEARCH CORPORATION
WATERMARK PATENT & TRADEMARK
ATTORNEYS
50 QUEEN STREET
MELBOURNE. VIC. 3000.