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Show Black Hills U-Ore Under Expoitation CUSTER, 8. D. In less than three years the Black IIUU district has been developed Into a wan-him producing area with a bright future, an Atomic Energy spokesman said here. "Uranium mining In the Black mils is here to sUy asserted John King of the AEC's Black Hills office at Hot Springs. Mining Is underway In five different regions of the Black Hills but "the surface has only been scratched," said the geologist, who observed there Is a great deal more uranium ore in the Black Hills than is now expected. The first uranium-bearing ore. King noted, was discovered three years ago In Craven Canyon, north of Edgemont, by Jerry Brennan, Rapid City lawyer, while studying Indian writings on the canyon wall. A yellow stain on the rock attracted his attention. He took samples to the School of Mines which Identified the substance as carnotite, a uranium bearing ore. Since Brennan's discovery, more than 2,000 claims have been filed la Fall River county alone. The AEC established an ore buying station near Edgemont two years ago and an ore processing plant is now under consideration. A large mine is In operation near Carlisle, Wyo . in the Northern Black Hills. There are other mines in operation throughout the Black Hills, both in South Dakota and Wyoming, he said. Aerial radiometric surveys have revealed some of the largest lodes in the Hills, the ground prospecting with scintillating equipment also has brought Important discoveries. Although uranium mining In the Black Hills la done mostly by stripping and excavating with bulldozers, AEC drilling has determined uranium ore Is not limited to the surface. Uranium was found 450 feet down In the Edgemont area and 350 feet down In the Northern Black Hills. The uranium is here all that is left Is to find it, concluded King. pift": -Jl', .i.:? I jr r mi II' nMsgfyfiiii Hill ' CRUDE OIL Is run from the well Into a series of "lease tanks" as these in the Rangely field. Gathering lines run from the wells through a "treater" where It might be heated prior to being stored. Excess gas Is "flared" by being burned in the air. A flaring pipe can be seen in the right background of this photo. The cantllevered pipe in the left foreground Is the outlet of the tanks used to transfer the crude to the trucks. As can be seen, crops can again be cultivated right up to the roadway, for maximum space usage for farming. |