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Show New Outcroppings Found in Utah Petrochemicals Added To List A new corporation is being formed to develop holdings in the Cane Springs area of Utah. Known as The American Energy Corp., a California group has just completed the purchase of 48 claims from Harry Hollingsworth. The one by two mile strip comprising these claims lies fifteen miles south of Moab and about three miles west Of Important U. S. Industries Although the word hasnt been used very much by the layman, petrochemical is coming more and more into prominence. Tremendous strides have been made in the industry during the last half century and every passing day sees the results of new research in laboratories across the nation. Today petrochemicals of account for about all United States chemical proHundreds duction. of applications are being found in a long list of industrial and consumer products. Scientists say petrochemical potentials have hardly been tapped, that more than half a million additional chemical compounds can be synthesized from the same sources if a use for them develone-four- th ops. The petrochemical industry began in 1919 with a small pilot plant built by the Standard Oil Co., of New Jersey at Bayway, N J., to make alcohols from refinery gas. During the next two decades activity in the industry was largely research and pilot plant experimental work, altho a few companies began marketcheing petroleum and micals. Then World War II forced the nation to find or invent new sources for many strategic materials, such as rubber, and the development of petrochemicals began in earnest. Now the industry boasts more than 270 petrochemical plants either in production or under construction, according to the Manufacturing Chemists Assn. They are operated by 79 chemical companies and 58 oil companies, and six are joint ventures. At least 60 new petrochemical plants are in the planning or building stage, and scarcely a week goes by without an announcement of some new project or expansion in the field. For example, the Commercial Solvents Corp. announced recently a $5 million expansion for commereial production of nitro- - paraffins, described as a new family of petrochemicals never before available in volume. Of the 7,000 chemicals regularly produced in the United States, about 2,500 already are derived from petroleum or natural gas. Industry forecasters declare that by 1975 half of the nations chemical needs will be supplied from these sources. Since petrochemicals have burgeoned out so rapidly into so many varied fields, perhaps the best W'ay to illustrate the sort of impact and growth they have had is to tell the story of one of them acrylonitrile. It is a volatile liquid that looks like water, smells somew'hat like witch hazel and is considered one of the most promising raw materials of them all. This versatile chemical is a key intermediate in the process, for example, of making soft, beautiful sweaters out of natural gas. It is the basis for the synthetic fibers orlon, dynel, acrilan, 1 and others being used increasingly in wearing apparel, blankets and other materials because they hold their shape, dry quickly, resist sunlight and mildew, and do not stretch or shrink. But acrylonitrile is also used to give synthetic rubber resistance gas-bas- X-5- to oil and grease. Its derivatives are added to many types of plastics to make them tougher, harder, more resistant to heat and chemicals. It is used for soil conditioners, and in processes to make fabrics either stiffer or more flexible, depending on the need, and to make adhesives stronger and paint more durable. Initi- American Cynamid ated production of acrylonitrile in 1940 and virtually all that was produced during the war years went into synthetic rubber, for airplane fuel tanks and other military needs. At the close of the war the nations annual capacity w'as about 20,000,-00- 0 pounds. By 1948 several companies were experimenting with acrylic fibers for textiles. Du Pont, Union Carbide and Carbon Corp., and the Chemstrand Corp., got into commercial production with such fibers. Thus the petrochemical industry has been added to the many which work to better the American standard of living and to add to the comfort of every American. So far there has been no known discussion of establishing a petrochemical plant on the Plateau but it is not outside the realm of possibility. along of Cane Springs Canyon. The new company, heeded by Victor J. Nelson, architect-enginee- r of Glendale, Calif., as president-general manager, was to undertake development work at once, according to Mr. Nelson. He has "mined 25 years and plans to use a technique of exploration he found very satisfactory in Old Mexico where he operated a mercury mining concern. Core drilling and drift tunneling with lateral drilling, is expected to prove to be a most satisfactory method of exploration of the uranium claims held by this compay. surface Excellent showings have been found with one outnj feet crop 75 feet high and p across. The values are in the Chenle. and Consulting geologist for the company is William Owens of Moab. Harry Hollingsworth of Moab was Co. self-seali- Is If Greenriver Or Is If Green River? Is it Green tt River Greenriver, Utah? That question has been the subject of friendly arguments on the Colorado Plateau for many years and is no nearer solution than when it first came up. The U. S. Postal Guide lists it as one word, as does the U. S. or Jc Geological Service. So do the makers of road maps. But that doesn't mean Green River is Greenriver. Residents of the Utah town are adamant in their contention it is Green River, and insist on the name appearing that way on road signs and advertising posters. There doesnt seem to be an answer to the problem. Residents of Green River insist they should know how to write the name of their own town, while the USGS says it should know how it is recorded officially. Cattle, Sheep Raised In Grand County Grand County, Utah, has been primarily cattle country from the early days of its settlement. Now, two of the largest cattle operations in the west are in the area adjacent to Moab. Cattled are ranged on the La Sal mountains during the summer months and on the great expanse of the desert in the winter. There are a large number of sheep in Grand county and the area contributes many thousands of pounds of wool and meat to the nations clothing makers and meat markets. In 1953, the United Satate produced more than 54 billion gallons of motor fuel. 4- Shin-arum- Photo by Perry for Vramum Information Digest THE MIGHTY LA SALS in south-centrUtah. Formidable rt barriers stretching across the country in the Moab area. Gold was sought here years ago, now the search is for uranium ores. al semi-dese- Metropolitan Branches Info Uranium, Others The Big Indian Valley in eastern Utah is the site of what may well prove to be the richest uranium mining distirct in the United States, perhaps North America. Already more than half of the in the largest known ore bodiesdiscoverUnited States have been ed back of the Valleys west rim. Exploratory drilling is still continuing and more ore is being uncovered. The Big Indian Valley lies some 35 miles south of Moab. It is situated in what is called the Spanish Valley, a collapsed salt anticline. There are a number of such spectacular structures in the region: the Paradox and Gypsum Valleys in Colorado to the east. Salt Valley about 30 miles north, Cane Springs five miles west, and the Lisbon Valley, of which Big Indian is a part, to the south. Several ore bodies in addition to the big MiVida mine will increase production. Chief among these is the large La Sal Mining Company ore body on north Big Indian, discovered by its locator, T. C. Hudson of Pawhuska, Okla. This group of claims was later purchased by the Homestake Mining Company which is currently sinking a shaft and should be in production late this year. Homestake also acquired other ore bearing claims the Little Beaver group-fur-ther south at the west end of Steen Canyon. Centennial Development Company of Eureka, which also has the contract to sink the La Sal shaft, has nearly completed for Homestake a 4,000 foot tunnel to these Little Beaver claims. Additionally, Standard Uranium, which acquired the rim claims orginally located by Dan Hays and Don Adams east of the present Mi Vida, is driving a 2,000-foo- t tunnel towards another ore body; and North American shaft. Uranium is sinking a Metropolitan Mines corporation is branching out into both the ura- nium and lead-zin- c mining fields, a company official has disclosed. The board of directors started investigations of Utah uranium prospects several months ago and recently were able to conclude a claim on terms within the limited financial means of the company he said. The prospect is located in the northern part of Garfield county, Utah, at the head of Poison Springs canyon. It adjoins the property which Highland-Surpris- In 1881 Latest core hole on the there were about Phene 4131 Thompson, Utah 16 fam- INC DRILLING CONTRACTORS Rotary Drilling & Coring Equipment. Air Compressors Water Trucks. Engineering Facilities. Ph. 4281 P.O. Box 513 Moab, Utah ; ; Moab, Utah Robertson Brothers Chevron Service Station sub- by U. & I. in the Moab district has extended the uranium channel to about 2,000 feet in length. The d Southeastern Utah PRIMARY MINERALS stantial uranium ore discovery ore channel already defined varies in thickness up to 26 feet and is from 300 to 400 feet wide. The latest hole topped five feet of high grade, according to Lester S. Harrison, president. U. & I. is an operating company owned jointly by Caledonia Silver-LeaMining Co., Coeur dAlene Silver Giant, Inc., Nancy Lee Bines, Inc., Signal Mining Co., and Silver Bowl, Inc. Agents for Continental Oil Co., for in Grand Valley, Utah, in the area where Moab is now locat- - 500-fo- Core Channel Extended Complete Auto Service dated Mining company acquired last August and expects to start exploring shortly after the first of next year. The claims were purchased outright. ilies for Oarage Company Consoli- e engineer The Colorado Plateau is not the only place where there is uranium activity in the United States. The AEC is planning a dollar processing facility in the St. Louis, Mo., area. Richest Uranium Belt In Utah 250-fo- signed as milling the new company. OK RUBBER WELDERS CHEVRON PRODUCTS COMPLETE AUTO SERVICING Famed for Fruit Moab Valley is primarily agricultural and has attained fame for its fruit. Peaches, pears and apples comprise the bulk of the crop and are of extremely high quality, commanding an early premium price on the market. The crop, because of the mild climate, is at least two weeks ahead of surrounding areas. Truck gardening is profitable because of an early season. ONE STOP STATION Phone 2531 Moab Utah |
