Show Groups Join State in Urging Quick Withdrawal of Area Potash Lands Support for the proposed withdrawal wIthdrawal withdrawal with wIth- of potash bearing lands at Cane Creek from oil and gas leasing was given by Moab organizations organizations or or- and civic officials this week as a up follow-up to similar similar sim sim- ilar action on the part of Utah Governor Govern r George D D. Clyde Gov Clyde after meeting with representatives of Texas Gulf Sulphur Taylor Delhi officers officers off off- cers of the Committee on Industrial Industrial In In- In-I In Planning and other industrial industrial industrial in in- and governmental leaders leaders leaders lea lea- ders agreed Friday to contact the Secretary of the Interior and Congressional leaders in an as effort to forward the withdrawn withdraw withdraw- n al Because of the dangers to the safety of miners involved In potash potash pot pot- ash mining with simultaneous development of oil and gas In Inthe Inthe inthe the same area and the loss of potash through necessary pillar support for oil and gas wells I Tylor Delhi petitioned the tho Department Department Department De De- of the Interior in January January January Jan Jan- uary of this year for the withdrawal withdrawal withdrawal with with- of acres in the Cane Creek area from oil and gas leasing On July 26 the Bureau Bureau Bureau Bu Bu- reau of Land Management published published pub pub- notice of proposed with with- of only acres In Inthe Inthe inthe the Federal Register allowing interested parties thirty days from that date to file comments comments com corn ments and objections to determine determine deter deter- deter I mine whether a public hearing would be called concerning the tho proposal A permanent withdrawal withdrawal withdrawal with with- Is hoped for before beCore Sept 1 of oC this year by the potash In in- in In their meeting with the governor governor governor go go- vernor the potash interests expressed expressed expressed ex ex- pressed concern that intervention intervention tion by parties Interested solely I in oil and gas exploration may delay action on the petition I which has been flied filed with th Department of the Interior The Tho pos possibility of a delay was re revealed revealed re- re I early this week In a letter letter letter let let- ter to Gov Goy Clyde and others other from Walter watter L. L Morrison of the tho Four FO r Corners Land and Lease Co Salt Lake City Morrison stated his Intention of sending the same letter of protest to Secretary of the In Interior In- In tenor Fred A. A Seaton and I others The apparent basis for I th the tho protest Is the contention that the Cane Creek area is a promising one for oil and gas production In their conference with the tho go governor the potash interests pointed out that after 33 years or more of oil and gas exploration In the withdrawal ar area a there has been no significant significant significant cant development of oil or gas and no commercial production The contention went on to state T The e existence of commercial quantities of oil and gas in any part of the area arell Is purely spec spec- In its exploration for potash in Utah Taylor Delhi-Taylor has expended expended expended ex ex- in excess of two and a half million d dollars Since the tho option agreement entered into Into by by- D Taylor Mi-Taylor and Texas Gulf Gui Sulphur in April the latter operator operator operator op op- op- op has conducted an In ten ten- sl e evaluation program of Its O own expending in excess of thousand The magnitude of the proposed project now being studied in which Texas GUlf Sulphur would build a shaft and mill at Cane Creek is estimated estimated esti estl- m mated ted to be be- benear near thirty million dollars Seventeen Seventeen tests have been or orare orare orare are are being drilled at Cane Creek by Taylor Delhi-Taylor and by Texas Gulf Sulphur On completion these holes are completely cemented ce ce- In anticipation of future nil mining ing and the protection o of miners This procedure would be necessary with any oil wells drilled in the area also Eight oil wells have been drilled in the area since 1916 with no commercial production Primary oil activity In the Ca Cane Creek area now Is on two 40 acre leases where is lo lo- lo These would not be affected affected affected af af- by the withdrawal C. C F F. F Fogarty vice in charge of exploration and project manager Frank Tipple said aid Saturday in Moab that that Texas Gulf Sulphur visualized the potash development near Moab as one that would provide provide provide pro pro- vide a long term tenn economic stability stability stability sta sta- sta- sta and high employment ratio ratio ra ro- ra- ra tio for the region Dr Fogarty said that his company was very encouraged by progress on the project to date He lie cited as major areas of concentration I presently as marketing technical technical tech tech- tech tech-I evaluation plant engineering engineering engineering engin engin- and design shaft location and mining process study Teams of consultants are currently currently currently cur cur- In Moab to study possible shaft locations and recommend plant sites and design From these experts rough preliminary ary plans are being formed To date their suggestions have been encouraging encouraging- according to Texas Gulf officials The depth of the shaft necessary necessary necessary essary for the mining of potash has been the object of considerable considerable consid consid- erable study As projected for 20 or 22 feet teet diameter It would be the deepest shaft of that size in the American potash indus I try even if the site Is at the bottom of the mesa Considerable Considerable Consid erable thought is being given to locating the plant on top tOI of Bartlett Mesa The advantage advantage tage loge in the latter site would bethe be bethe bethe the elimination of ot a double lift for the ore that is mined to take it to the railroad on top of the mesa and a centralized single location for the mill mUl Data Pata is now being supplied on overlying sediments hardness water sands and similar factors factor in shaft location I and nd tion Water has been encountered encounter encounter- ed but according to manager Tipple Tippie and geologist Jim Ogg it does not flow by Itself and is ls not of ot great concern Oil wells drilled in the same area have encountered the same thing with no trouble The existence and I volume of ot ore was never in doubt according to the Texas Gulf Gult geologist Dr PI Fogarty and I Mr Tipple Tippie added that the cru cm point now exclusive of the I withdrawal proposal was Wit where whereto to put the shaft and what might I be the best mining method Texas TexI Tex Tex- I as Gulf Gult Sulphur has until Jan 4 1961 to answer these questions ques lues lions and make their decision on taking up the properties from Delhi Continued on Page 10 I POTASH Continued from Page Paga I 1 There Is n a precedent pr for tor prompt action on the part par of ot tha th Department of the Interior The potash area oren of Carlsbad New Mexico had withdrawn some acres neres in the center of a 11 proven and producing oil area with no hearing according to potash interests Should such n 1 withdrawal be made here hero the current drilling for oil at COM Cans Creek would be unaffected It tIn r 1 reached In that direction with the amount of ore we now h have lined out and the size of the area 1 Dr r. r t Fogerty said Moab for Cor the proposed withdrawal took the form of ol letters letters' from front the various civic and service organizations and from the city and ancl county urging favorable and prompt action on the part of oC the Interior 1 Department Depart Department ment In the mall matter cr |