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Show ! EllDA Report Shorn Big Gain In Uranium ' A report entitled "Uranium Exploration Expenditures in , 1976 and Plans for 1977 and ; 1978," GJO-103 (77), is being issued this week following a' survey conducted bythe Energy Research and Development Develop-ment Administration's Grand Junction (Colorado) Office. The report is based on data received from 108 companies active in uranium exploration in the United States. Total surface drilling, as reported on questionnaires, was 34.8 million feet in 1976, a 37 percent increase over 1975. The footage reported for 1976 was the largest reported to date. The previous peak year for drilling was 1969, for which 29.9 million feet were reported. report-ed. Total exploration expenditures expendi-tures for 1976 were $170.7 million, which included $13.9 million for land acquisition, $109.0 million for surface drilling, and $47.8 million for other related exploration activities. activ-ities. The total expenditures reported for 1976 is also a record high, surpassing the previous record of $122 million reported for 1975. The companies reported 1976 land acquisitions of 4.75 million acres for uranium exploration. About 14.9 million mill-ion acres were held by reporting companies as of December 31, 1975, an increase in-crease of 26 percent over land holdings at the end of 1975. The industry's planned exploration ex-ploration expenditures are $236 million in 1977 and $251 million in 1978. These plans include 49.2 million feet of surface exploration and development devel-opment drillino in 1Q77 anH 47.9 million feet in 1978, increases of 41 percent and 38 percent, respectively, over actual 1976 drilling. Expenditures for uranium exploration by U.S. companies in foreign countries in 1976 were $18.8 million. Planned foreign exploration by U.S. companies was estimated at $25.4 million for 1977 and $29.1 million for 1978. Single copies of the report may be obtained by writing to: Technical Library, Grand Junction Office, ERDA, P.O. Box 1569, Grand Junction, Colorado 81501. |