SEARCH FOR URANIUM

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25274, 28 August 1947, Page 6

SEARCH FOR URANIUM

EXPEDITION TO SOUNDS LAST YEAR

The announcement that uranium may be extracted from dredge tailings on the West Coast recalls the effort that was made last year when a party of seven Government scientists sailed from Wellington in the keten Golden Hind to explore the sounds of South Westland for possible sources of radio-active materials used in the production of atomic energy. The expedition stayed in the sounds for six weeks. Using small boats with outboard motors, it investigated a large area south of Nancy Sound. It was equipped with special instruments known as Geiger counters for the detection and measurement of the radioactive minerals, uranium and thorium. One of the geophysicists in the party (Mr K. T. Fowler) said on his return from an additional inland survey through the Manapouri. Queenstown and Central Otago region: “Some people seem to believe the expedition was looking for a , mountain of uranium. Actually its main purpose was to establish the average uranium and thorium content of the rock masses of fiordland. There were no spectacular results, but some highly useful information was obtained.”