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Show SsLHHHfesltbtttiiAllLMiR&if CLIMAX URANIUM, Grand Junction's largest ore processor. Is displayed In this aerial photograph taken by Bob Grant of The Dally Sentinel staff. The large sumps in the foreground are slime pools, from which uranium and vanadium Is extracted. Climax la currently expanding the mills, and hopes, In the near future, to build more mills throughout the Plateau. Production figures and prices paid for the stuff are unavailable, since they are classified as secret by the Atomic Energy Commission. Climax Uranium Here to Stay, Grow, With Grand Junction To one of the top uranium processing companies on the Colorado Plateau, Grand Junction Is here to stay and grow and the firm is going to do both right along with it. Climax Uranium Co., a subsidiary of Climax Molybdenum Corp., has Injected a total of $13 million since 1950 into the financial life stream of the Plateau, most of it in Grand Junction, and currently is putting more than another million into expansion of its mill in that city. According to Marvin L. Kay, vice president and general manager of the uranium company, the firm will, by the end of 1955, employ more than 250 persons in its Grand Junction mining and milling operation, with a yearly payroll running over a million dollars a steady monetary vein contributing to the financial heartbeat of the community. Underlying the seriousness with which Climax Molybdenum officials view the uranium and vanadium mining situation Is the fact that Climax Uranium Is the largest mining venture among the many the corporation Is undertaking outside of the molybdenum field. To further support this viewpoint Kay noted that Climax Is rapidly drilling on all properties it now holds and is in continual search for new claims to develop. In addition to milling ore from its own properties, the company makes purchases from what it calls tributary producers smaller mines which are relatively close to the Junction mill. During mill expansion (scheduled to be completed by June of this year) such purchases are temporarily curtailed since there is a large stockpile of ore at the mill. However, says Kay. the firm will expand the buying program again just as soon as the mill can handle its expanded capacity.and hopes to get so far out in front of that operation that Climax will be able to And ore In sufficient quantities to build new mills "on the Colorado Plateau." "Climax," Kay said, "is always looking for an opportunity for expansion." He noted the firm is one of the top ones in expending effort and money on exploration, in support of the expansion idea. RR Marvin L. Kay Although Climax arrived In Grand Junction in 1950 with the express purpose of building its uranium processing mill completed in 1951 the Impact of the uranium boom was not felt until the fabulous discoveries, accompanied by the spotlight of national publicity, were made by Vernon Pick, Charlie Steen and Joe Cooper. "Strangely enough," Kay said, "the industry has been a healthy growing business since the AEC established its uranium purchasing program in 1948. Publicity made this uranium business the boom it is today" Apparently, Climax Is a good firm to work for. Kay surveys his employe force, most of which has been with him since inception of the mill, and can point to many men who started with the company as common laborers and rose to their present jobs as foremen or leaders. All unskilled men start as labor- ers, and can rise through helpers, operators or maintainence men to leadership positions. Metallurgists are trained In the company lab before assignment to the metallurgical section. Kay voiced one precaution, though. There has been such a steady stream of job-seekers through the Grand Junction office that he regrets no more application are being taken. Ills underlying belief In the business is best indicated by this quote, taken from a speech made in Salt Lake City to a group of mining men on Oct. 28, 1954: "As mature sound engineering and business practices are applied, the (uranium) industry should become a major business in the growth of our great country." |