Helicopter Lift For Uranium Prospectors

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29070, 5 December 1959, Page 15

Helicopter Lift For Uranium Prospectors

•The Press’ Special Service

, WESTPORT, December 4. A helicopter today started to lift about 15,0001 b of building materials, equipment and food to establish a camp site for uranium prospectors 1000 ft up the almost sheer southern side of the lower Buller Gorge. The camp will form a base for further prospecting in the area where a mineral thought to be pitchblende was discovered recently. pointing the way to what may be the richest uranium deposits yet found in New Zealand. It is now four years since Mr and Mrs T. J. McKee, representing Lime and Marble, Ltd., made a survey Of the north bank of the gorge and discovered deposits of uranium-bearing minerals. This area is now being investigated underground, supervised by the resident geologist of the British Atomic Energy Commission (Mr W. G. Hill) from his headquarters in Westport. Lime and Marble, Ltd., have maintained prospectors in other areas since their first claim has been under the control of Mr Hill, and the new camp will allow further development on the south side of the gorge, where the highly promising new finds have been made. <

Although the helicopter was delayed today in getting into the Buller area by low cloud and rain a routine was soon organised. Lifts of 5001 b were taken off the flats near Hawkes Crag to the 1000 ft level and unloaded. and the helicopter was back for another load in just over five minutes. Weather permitting, the lift should be completed this morning. Watched With Interest Watching the operation with interest were directors and members of the staff of Buller Uranium, Ltd., representatives of the Mines Department, and the press. On the camp site are eight workmen, five of whom have been making the landing platform. The others are the prospectors. They are all looking forward to the completion of the airlift so that a semi-permanent building can be erected from the prefabricated parts.

There was everything and the kitchen sink among the bundles being handled, including more than 400 pieces of precut timber, a stripped-down air compressor and motor, hundreds of pounds of drilling equipment, 4001 b of corrugated sheet iron, more than 40001 b of petrol and other fuels, all kinds of tools, gelignite, 7001 b of food, and even pumice insulation for the stove. Since the strike shows such a high radioactive count, the outcome of the investigations will be watched with interest. The extent of the ore body and its grade must be determined, and this can only be done by subsurface sampling. The deposits could be of great importance if they are at all extensive, said Mr McKee. Only time will show what was underground, when adits had been driven, the drills had done their work, and the results evaluated.