I may be another of the one-time posters that will fade away after taking a verbal assault, but I am willing to do so if this comment helps the mainstays think outside a very particular box or industry regarding the tie. Has anyone looked at the yellow pages from that era to see if another business may be plausible for creating the tie residues? You may be surprised at how many metal fabrication shops were using these ‘rare’ elements in their processes and production. (see Spokane Yellowpages, 1971, pg510)
1971_YellowPages_spokane_pg510_edits.pdf