Show r THIS URANIUM MESS r The Times Independent Is Immensely immensely immensely Im im- im- im Interested and pleased I to note that tha t the Grand Junction Sentinel and the Denver Post have during the past week taken taken tak tak- taken en up the battle for lor the independent dent producer of vana uranium ores These papers In feature feature feature fea fea- ture articles by staff writers are calling attention to wasteful wasteful waste ful backward and Inefficient lent ent methods used by the big I refining companies as well as as the Atomic Energy Commission I In the processing of uranium I ores Significant paragraphs In a I Sentinel article of Wednesday I tollow follow There Js is a general feeling throughout western Colorado that hat that the whole situation needs clarifying by toy the AlEC Particularly Particularly confused and more or less bitter are the Independent miners miners min min- miners ers who point out that all dealings with and US U.S. Va ya Vanadium Vanadium nadium Corp headquarters in Grand Junction are secret seret while prices for uranium ore and content content con con- tent of uranium or ore and various oth other r mat matters ers when affecting the independent miners minors can be made public The Tho Dally Daily Sen Sen- titter tinel learned today that In recent recent re ra re- re cent tent months letters from Independent Inde lade p pendent operators one ono located In Boulder and others located in western Colorado and eastern Utah districts had gone In to Colorado senators charging that no one but the corporation was being given government I 1 teases leases on claims In the Gateway district and that the only way these meso independents could operate claims adjoining ones that they own was to SUblease sub- sub sublease lease that from they the The Times-Independent Times durIng during dur- dur Ing ng recent years has champion champion- championed ed the cause of the Independent producers In the apparent out freeze game that Is being played On numerous occasions we called attention to what we thought and still think was a al rough deal being handed handEl out to the little fellows by the dominant domInant dom dom- dominant vanadium uranium-vanadium Interests interests interests Inter inter- ests and later by toy the Atomic Energy Commission We were pretty much alone In this crusade crusade cru cru- cru- cru sade If such It could be called We were an obscure country It is true and was a disposition on the the- part of some people to laugh us off much like a small boy would be smiled at If he attempted to eard a den of lions Nevertheless less we attracted sufficient notice no no- Ice tice to incur the displeasure of the big companies as well as officials We are now glad I 10 vo co see the Sentinel and the Post Yost bring their heavy guns into the ray ray We arc are not personally inform inform- id d regarding the t technical re- re methods In use by the big companies and the atomic commission commission commIssion com com- I mission and cannot an ot speak with any authority about these mat mat- veers However we do know that he the small Independent owners owners' of uranium claims of admitted admittedly ly great value are arc being starved to death both as to prices rices received received received re re- re- re and in the analyses en Those small producers who have not already quit are arc gradually grad gradually grad I I falling failing by the wayside At Atthe Atthe the same time the Is spendIng spending spend spend- I ing lag fabulous amounts erecting plants and housing facilities and In innumerable oth other r ways I 1 Apparently there is no limit to the amount that can be dished out when it comes to paying the fellow tellow who owns and digs the ore In our opinion using opinion using a rather rath rath- er ancient but very descriptive expression this expression this whole uranium mess smells to high heaven |