Garfield County News | 1955-02-24 | Page 74 | Richest Uranium Belt in Utah

Richest Uranium Belt In Utah 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 largest known ore bodies in the United States have been discovered back of the Valley's 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 500-foot three-compartment shaft and should be in production late this year. Homestake also acquired other ore bearing claims the Little Beaver group-further south at the west end of 1 Steen Canyon. Centennial Develop- j ment Company of Eureka, uhieh also has the contract to sink the i 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 Ml Vida, is driving a 2,000-foot tunnel towards another ore body; and North American Uranium is sinking a 250-foot shaft. i