Word: superhard
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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Ever since World War II began, the warring nations have been looking for an adequate source of tantalum. It is a superhard, noncorrosive metal that ranks just under gold, platinum and silver in value and is used in radar, machine tools, surgery...
Steep Rock is a range of superhard hematite ore, the best on the continent. Its proved and probable iron deposits total at least 25 million tons. Engineers estimate unproved reserves up to ten times this figure. Expected annual production by 1946: 2,000,000 tons. This is small change compared to the 65,000,000 tons produced last year by Minnesota's famed Mesabi range, but the comparison does not show the real importance of Steep Rock to the Canadian and U.S. steel industries...
...even if it meant sacrificing planes. Of airplanes, Russia needs heavy bombers most. Machine tools, unfortunately the rarest and most complicated gadgets, are badly needed. Russia asked the U.S. for more than 30,000 tons of steel a month, especially for 5,000 tons a month of rare superhard tool steel;* for between 5,000 and 10,000 tons a month of aluminum; considerable quantities of nickel. The U.S. had to turn down a request for magnesium. Britain was asked for large supplies of rubber and jute...