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From: stumpy@sdcc6.UUCP
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: Re: Osmium?
Message-ID: <3242@sdcc6.ucsd.EDU>
Date: Tue, 30-Jun-87 02:22:34 EDT
Article-I.D.: sdcc6.3242
Posted: Tue Jun 30 02:22:34 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 3-Jul-87 06:47:21 EDT
References: <1754@ames.UUCP> <336@gtx.com> <2289@calmasd.GE.COM> <7213@mimsy.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: shfrbrns
Lines: 16
Keywords: osmium
Summary: osmiridium exists

In article <7213@mimsy.UUCP>, chris@mimsy.UUCP (Chris Torek) writes:
> On one journey through a dictionary---alas, I cannot recall which---I
> ran across the fascinating word `osmiridium'.  The definition claimed
> that this was an alloy of osmium and iridium that is used in ball-point
> pens.  So as long as people are expounding upon osmium, perhaps someone
> could verify or refute this.

also known as itidosmine this is a natural alloy of iridium and
osmium containing some platinium, rhosium, ruthenium, iron, copper,
and palladium.  tin-white to light steel gray in color, this is
found in california, oregon, russia, japan, and brazil just to name
a few places.  aside from being used as fountain pen tips, it also
is found in surgical needles and watch pivots.

the above was graciously paraphrased from the sixth edition (1961)
of "the condensed chemical dictionary"