Document qdV4BLj9aLoE3008Zjb60zndk

MyrfWiiiTii FOR RHEASS 0 April 24, 1957 - PJt. LEAD INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION bO East 42nd Street New Tork 17, . I. Mu 2-2633 Speaking to 150 executive* of the lead mining, smelting, refining and manufacturing industries at the annual meeting of the Lead Industrie* Association at the Drake Hotel, Chicago, B. B. Steiner, president of the Association of Ameri can Battery Manufacturers, Inc., predicted that 387,000 tons of lead would be.used in storage batteries in 1957. This i* an increase over the 366,000 tuns used last year. It is based on an estimated production of 34,983,000 automotive type bat teries, with 35,000 tons of lead used for Industrial type batteries. The estimate for automotive type batterise is an increase of a little more than 2 million over 1958. He stated that data gathered by his Association indicate that the aver age life of automobile batteries has been as low as 16.3 months and as high a* 27.6 months since 1940 with the longest life prevailing in 1956. He placed the average automobile battery weight at 20.11 lb. In discussing the trend toward 12-volt rather than 6-volt batteries in automobiles he stated that all new passenger cars, with the exception of the Hilly* Jeep, are now equipped with 12-volt batteries. On the basis of total registrations 12-volt batteries have Increased from 0.7 per cent in 1953 to 9.2 per cent in 1956, and he predicted that the weight of lead per battery would increase as the 12-volt battery become* mors predominant. Combating atomic radiation was the subject of a talk by Dr. C. K. Crompton, associate technical director. National Lead Co. of Ohio, formerly con nected with the Atomic Engery Ccunisslon, which covered design criteria and amrket possibilities for lead and other material* of shield construction. 0 He stated that lead** attenuation of gaana rays from reactor produced radioisotopes and radiation from reactors thsmselves accounts for its major us* as protection for both personnel and equipment* Other uses ranged from housing of (MORE) II i nwwimi'.fw, n h j w w w iii nil --yOs l .J'W."'-- ' \ - piww ^55} a ^.r * PRESS RELEASS Page 2 radiation source# in cameras for industrial radiography and medical therapy, to 0 mobile high intensity fission product sources for food preservation. Peacetime distribution and use of radioactive isotopes vtilch continues to increase at a rapid rate will account for 1,000 tons of lead per year by 1964, al though this may be overshadowed by shipments of used reactor fuel elements for reprocessing slated to require 2,000 tone per year by 1964 and 4,000 tone per year by 19?J. For reactor shielding, particularly mobile propulsion and ''package" power reactors whore a premium la placed on minimum weight and space, requirements for lead nay be between 5,000 and 10,000 tons per year by 1965. Operating research reactors are expected to reach 54 in number by I960. Shield requirements for 1964 would appear to be approximately 1,000 tons of lead per year. It la Interesting to note that a research reactor complex carrying out 0 testing work in Its hot calls requires soma six tons of lead par year to shield garni emitting waste materials destined for dleposal In the ocean. In eunmatien Dr. Crompton stated that "we can look to the entire nuclear industry as a growing market for high density materials and aggregates. In 1964 lead consumption may reach 10,000 to 15,000 tons per year............ .. With nuclear power contributions more than doubling every 10 years we nay expect this consumption of shielding materials to increase accordingly." Ha further estimated that some 26,000 to 26,000 tons of lead are currently in use In the atomic energy industry. Dr. Alex Stewart, director of research and Hugo J, Rattl, head of new products development, National Lead Co., described new applications that era being mads of old lead compounds and new lead compounds that trs being used In Increasing amounts. Six examples were given. 1. New lead pigments supplementing whits lead, red lead, ths chrcmates, and basic sulphate In paints. 2. Lead compounds to 0 stabilise chlorine-containing tharmoplastle resins such as polyvinyl chloride and vinylldsne chloride plastics. }, Lead curing agents for thermo-asttlng plasties such as Hypalon. 4. Heat-sensltivs lead compounds for telegraphic and radio (HORi) mfjrmm m in i y m uf n r r um^i 'aw1 u*zl,,zq 1 PRESS RELEASE Pag* 3 communication# which enable a receiving instrument to reproduca words, picture# and 0 map# at some distant point accurately and instantaneously. 5. Shielding Rat trials for protection against X-ray and all other types of destructive radiation, using both organic and Inorganic lead compounds where a fluid protective barrier is de sirable, and 6. Ballistic modifiers, an important use but one which can not be discussed because of security reasons. Discounting the last three classifications which could be large but dif ficult to estimate in volume et present, it appears that new lead pigments in paints can reach a total of 30,000 tons per year within the next few years* By 1965 stabilisers for chlorine containing plastic materials will ap proximate 15,000 tons, Wiereas depending on volume growth of rigid plastic pip* and sheathing, another 10,000 tons of these lead compounds should corns into us# by 1970 to 1975. % It was also stated that new products will continue to be derived from over 700 lead compounds available today. Charles C. Shaclcford, chief engineer. Electrical Wire Division, John A. Roebling'e Sons Corp. reviewed the newer materials such as aluminum, steal end plastics which are offering competition to lead in cable eheathing. He described some of the advantages of these newer shoath materials but pointed out that they are offset by several major technical problems cs 7et to be solved-in both manufac ture and installation. He emphasised that the newer fatigue-resistant lead alloys commonly referred tc as "arsenical alloys" and modifications of them with tellurium offer five to six-fold improvement in fatigue life and creep reaistance. These elloys are in use today and appear to be holding their own, but cannot aa yet be extruded continuously* Regardlets of new developments and as s result of the continual wide $ growth of power utility systems, he predicted that during the next ten years lead sheathed power cable will continue to be used in the same ratio aa it has for the past five years* (MORE) U!!.pw".iwi. m yw.siwWJB.!11- LWfUJ.PW ' 'UUP'U *U i> c> LIA21A30 PRESS RELEASE ? * Xi. tracing tha history of tetraethyl lead fluid used in modern gasoline, Or. D. P. Barnard, research coordinator. Standard Oil Co. (Indiana), and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Research and Development, said that it had made two major contributions ever the years. First, by lessening the tendency of fuels to knock it had improved the fuels, and seoond, by Inspiring the engine designer to get the most performance from the fuel, it had paved the way to advances in engine design. Peeling that lead in gasoline makes an important and economically rational contribution to a neceeaary sales eharactaristic of gasolins. Dr. Barnard prsdictsd that tha uao of tetraethyl lead as an anti-knock will con tinue along established lines for the foreseeable future* In reporting on current research and development on tha use of lead in ceramics such as porcelain enamels, glass, glares, and electronic and other ceramic bodios. Dr. John Koenig, director of the School of Ceramics, Rutgers Univarsity, "concluded without question that in addition to the many established uses for lead in ceramics, by far the greater part of all new ceramic developments In the low temperature field will involve the use of lead compounda." He emphasised the in creasing interest of the ceramic industries in low temperature ceramics. Other speakers Included Roger H. Cutting, vice president, the thinker Hill Co., who described the wide use of lead in building and chemical construction! Professor R. t. Cook of the Department of Ceramic Biginooring, University of Illinois, who covered the broad field of lead compounds as used in ceramics; and Dr* Willisa E. George of Australia, who diacussed industry hoalth problems* (en d ) Wall I wrnm, I, .1111.11 If