Uranium Search In Somalia

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31982, 8 May 1969, Page 8

Uranium Search In Somalia

'N Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright)

MOGADISHU. Uranium could serve as the catalyst to convert Somalia from poverty to wealth within the next decade. Italian, American and West German groups have taken out concessions to prospect for uranium in this African republic, made up of former British and Italian trust territories and bordering on the Indian Ocean. They are about to -start work in a table-flat scrubland area. The area stretches from a point SO miles west of Mogadishu for about 100 miles in an east-west direction and 50 miles north to south. An encouraging report from United Nations aerial survey team touched off the search. Agriculture is in the mainstay of Somalia’s economy—with 45 per cent of export revenue coming from livestock and 45 per cent from bananas. About 60 per cent of the population is engaged in nomadic animal husbandry. Aid is the other mainstay of this traditional rural economy. Between 1960 and 1966, according to the latest United Nations figures, it totalled $U5319,950,000. The list of donors to nonaligned Somalia is topped by Italy, followed by Russia, the United States, the European Common Market and China. No Commercial Strikes Oil prospecting in the south has so far brought no commercial strikes. After their survey, the United Nations team drilled round Alio-Ghelle, in the middle of the scrubland area, and struck a rich uranium chimney. Last year three firms submitted firm offers to the Somali Government. They were Semiren, the uranium offshoot of Italy’s Stateowned industrial enterprise, E.N.1., America’s Western Nuclear, of Denver, Colorado, and a consortium grouping several West German companies. Italian Bld The Best

The Government considered the Italian bid the best one

and allocated them central areas, including Alio-Ghelle., The Americans got what they consider a good area to the west, while the Germans are paying lower fees and have a generally less-exacting prospecting commitment to the Government for outlying areas. Construction of roads and airstrips in the area will be expensive and exploration costs high. But the rewards are there if uranium is found in commercial quantities.