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Show June 9, 1969 OIL & MINING JOURNAL Fast breeder bids asked The Atomic Energy Commission Is inviting proposals from Industry to conduct the first phase of a project relating to the development, construction and operation of an advanced of nuclear power plant -type one using a liquid metal - -cooled fast breeder reactor. The purpose of the first phase - - designated project definition phase - - is to help the parties define the technical and economic risks of the total project, and to determine whether there are sufficiently well understood and realistically assessed bases for a cooperative arrangement for construction and operation of a plant. This reactor, while providing heat the generation of for at the same time electricity, more fissionable nuproduces clear fuel than it ues. In this breeding process, atoms of non fissionable uranium - 238 are bred through converted, or neutron bombardment into fissionable atoms of plutonium -- 1970's of a large (300 to 500 electrical megawatts) sodium -cooled fast breeder reactor power plant. The principal objective is demonstration of the technical performance, reliability, ease of maintenance, safety and economics of liquid metal - cooled fast breeder nuclear power plants in the commercial electric pow. er utility field. Proposals may be submitted by reactor manufacturers who are associated with a utility or group of utilities. The proposer and associates must be located in the United States or its terrl-toirand possessions, the Canal Zone or Puerto Rico. The es utilities may be investor, cooperatively, or publicly owned. It is planned that two or more teams will be selected for project definition phase contracts. When it is determined that the results of the initial contracts warrant, and if budgetary and other considerations permit, one of the contract teams will be selected for negotiation of a co239. operative arrangement for conThe invitation looks toward a struction and operation of a demonstration plant. The first phase subsequent cooperative arrangement with a reactor manufaccontracts and any cooperative turer and an electrical utility or arrangement will be subject to utilities for design, construction, any necessary Congressional in and the and appropriations. operation testing, The AEC will consider reimbursement of all or part of the cost of certain segments of work the project under definition phase contracts, including identification of necessary research and development, component and proof-testin- g, development, and performance of detailed technical and economic analyses. The AEC will also consider requests for assistance in the cooperative arrangement for plant construction, including research and development ; engineering, procurement of first of a and proof-testikind components, equipment and special instrumentation. ng Proposals are to be submitted to the AEC - Proposals by July 28, 1969 and all corresp- pertaining to the invitation should be sent to Daniel J. Shiller, Chairman, Fourth Round Proposal Evaluation Board Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, D.C. 20545. ondence invitation is the fourth a in series that began in January 1955 to encourage by government assistance both private and public power utility interest in development of nuclear power plants. The Texaco to test Californium The first loan agreement with a commercial firm to use Californium 252 in applications studies was announced today by the Atomic Energy Commission. The firm is Texaco, Inc., which will evaluate the application of Californium 252 in neutron well logging in the search for new oil and gas rserves. The work will be conducted at Texacos exploration and production research laboratory at Bellalre, Texas. Two Californium-25- 2 sources which will be fabricated at the U.S Atomic Energy Commission's Savannah River Laboratory in South Carolina, will be provided to Texaco, which will require at least a year to com- The contract plete work. provides for an extension if the work so warrants it. Call- - fornlum - 252 is a new manmade radioactive material having wide potential applications in several fields. Californium 252 sources on loan from the AEC already have been sent to the M.D. Anderson Hospital, Houston, Texas, for cancer therapy investigations; to the U.S. Geological Survey, Wash ington, D.C. for mineral exploration studies; and to the Bureau of Mines, Morgantown, West Virginia, for evaluation in monitoring the sulfur content of coal. The objective of the latter experiment is to reduce air pollution. The well logging technique to be pursued by Texaco provides the geologist with sufficient lnfor- - maton about lithological formations traversed by a test bore hole so that he can make the best possible choices of which zones contain oil or gas. In neutron well logging, the Californium 252 which emits neutrons by spontaneous fission, would be lowered into the bore hole at a continuous rate of speed. The area in the vicinity of te bore hole would be slightly irradiated. A detector loweed into the well following the californium 252 would detect and record the presence of any short lived radioactive elements. This record is the well log from which the geologist is able to determine what elements are present and where an oil or gas bearing zone is located. Page 5 Utah Beryllium mill nears completion at Topax Mtn. LYNDYLL, Millard county - The $10 million mill for Brush Beryllium Co. near here is in its final phases of construction and preliminary stages of shake -down operation. Were hoping to begin production by July 15, said Robert Maddox, manager of the mill, located four and one -- half miles south of Lyndyll on U.S. 50-- 6 Mr. Maddox declined to predict what the Initial production capacity would be because we have a new mill woth new employes. The facility will employ about 65 persons to proccess alluvial ore from the 48 miles Topaz Mountains, west of the mill site, Mr. Maddox said. This marks the first tome Ber-trand- ite a company has attempted to mine and process beryllium on a major scale in the Northern Hemisphere. Previously,, the metal was produced from ores In South America, Africa and India. The Juab County deposits are almost invisible to the naked eye - but are reckoned to be the largest known deposits in the western world. The mine where the ore os obtained is just west of the Spors Mountain, which rises from the sesert floor as a rocky prominence. The western side of the mountain has been scooped away to expose the ores, which probably., will be mined by a total force of six persons. Barite recovery attempt JEFFERSON CITY, Some, new efforts are being, made in Washington County, Mo. Mo., to determine if it would be economically feasible to recover additional barite (tiff) from the tailing ponds of old diggings in the area. Missouri State Geologist Dr. William C. Hayes says that about 300 test holes will be drilled in the Potosi area in order to study the cores. He states that mining experts for many years have felt large quantities of barite have been lost in washery plants during the processing of ore. Area geologists think the increase study might the potential significantly Missouri reserves. Almost 11 million tons of barite with a value of about $103 million have been mined in the state since 1850. The Washington County district has long been considered the leading producer of barite in the nation. The soft, chemically inert material is used both in oil and gas drilling and in the and manufacture of glass, rubber paint. Beehive acquires claims GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. Beehive Uranium has acquired 28 lode claims, known as the Bengal group inclusive, located in Fremont County, Wyo., according to a letter to stockholders. 1-- 28 Fremont County, Wyo. Beehive stockholders were told that the company had drilled a well on a federal oil and gas lease in Grand County, Utah, this Spring. Indications of possible production were In addition, the directors said considered and had to contracted was the well they purchase plugged and 40 additional lode uranium abandoned. The directors said claims, the Cherokee group they are considering a farm-ou- t to the of this acreage for further inclusive, contiguous Bengal property, also in development. non-commerc- 1-- 40 ENGINEERS, INC. MINERALS Mining Exploration Claim Staking DRILLING INC. Survey Work Anywhere in the Mountain West 2300 W. 13400 South Riverton, Utah 84065 Dsvslopmsnl and Exploration Min IContraetina Services 254-424- 254-37- 65 6 Rotary Drllllna Coro Drillina Fully Equlppod lor Weston Rolatod sorvlcoo and Company, Hoadquartors! 370 Parkor Avo. Inc. INVESTMENT SECURITIES Members Salt Lake Stock Exchange INVEST WITH OUR . Ely, Nevada (70S) 280.2130 OVER-THE-COUNT- MARKET SPECIALISTS ER Salt Lake City 2000 Univ. Cub Bldg. Salt Lake Ollloox Caaeado Enor a Metals SOIB Unlv. Club, BldQ. ISM E. South Tontplo (SOI) SMS S771 136 E. South Temple Phone: 364-197- 1 Las I Vegas ,1721 E. Phone: Charleston Blvd. 384-299- 5 rovo 13 N. Umv. Ave. 374-825- 7 IraacJi Offices: 5N W. Ittfc St, Mate Fills, Mate 1418 Wastara tea, kiss, Mate |