URANIUM IN AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26671, 4 March 1952, Page 7

URANIUM IN AUSTRALIA

INSPECTION BY U.S. EXPERTS

(Rec. 9 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 3. Three officials of the American Atomic Energy Commission ate now In Adelaide preparing to inspect deposits of uranium at Radium Hill in the far north-west of South Australia. Later they will inspect the more recently discovered field at Rum Jungle, 70 miles south of Darwin. “My job is to obtain for the Atomic Energy Commission uranium in any Sart of the free world, but particuirly in the Western Hemisphere. What Australia should do with her Uranium resources if they are as rich as reported is for her alone to decide,” said Mr Jesse Johnson, Director of the Raw Materials Division of the commission, who is leader of the party. His colleagues are a. geologist, Mr R. D. Ninihget. of the same division, and a metallurgist, Mr E. M. Kentro, of the commission gnd the American Cyanamid Company. The visit was arranged by t the Premier of South Australia (Mr T. Playford) during a recent visit to America. He was able to extend an invitation on behalf of both the Federal and his own Governments. The experts accepted with alacrity, arriving at Sydney last week. Mr Play/Ord’s interest in the uranium deposits is a dual one. He accepts the necessity of the use of the metal for defence, but regards as more Important its development as a power source for industry. South Australia

has progressed greatly since the war as an industrial centre, but this has been hampered Somewhat by the lack of coal or other means of producing power in sufficient quantity. Early predictions by geologists that the field at Rum Jungle would prove one of the -biggest in the Western World have been supported recently by Dr C. Davidson, chief geologist of the British Atomic Energy Commission. In the first stage of the development or the field two 120-foot shafts have been sunk and connected by a tunnel 300 feet long. About £150.000 has already been spent, but about 12 months’ more work is needed before the potentialities can. be accurately judged by methods available to British scientists. In these initial stages the experience of Mr Johtison and his colleagues may be of vital, importance. He says: “America is trying to find new techniaues and devices for discovering and proving uranium—and in this field we may be able to lend Australia valuable assistance. Thousands of our scientists are working on Various phases and knowledge is advancing at a really rapid rate.” An Australian defence expert says: “All we want to know is if it is worth it. Then we can get Straight on with the hack work of moving in mining machinery and trained men to rip the stuff out.”