RADIUM IN CANADA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 18 June 1932, Page 12

RADIUM IN CANADA

IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES QUESTION OK CONTROL The Governnieiil of Canada is giving serious study to I lie question of control of radium production and conservation, following important discoveries at Great Rear Lake, a remote region in the Northwest Territories, 1000 miles from civilisation. In a debate in the Senate Mr Arthur Meighen, Government leader in that Chamber, said: “It looks as though Canada bad a supply of radium of inestimable value to this country and to I lie world ,such as to imply the necessity of a I borough and most careful investigation ” Tlir Government was concerned with these radium deposits from Hie broad standpoint of humanity, bo said, rather than a possible source of revenue.

Senator (Major-General) A. D. McRae, of Vancouver, spoke of the danger of a mining rush in Great Bear Lake and the possibility of winter overtaking a horde of inexperienced men before they could get out, unless the Government took immediate control of the situation, lie feared also that the new radium fields might fall into the, hands of foreign interests. A report issued by Hie Federal Department of Mines sets forth the result of tests of two samples of pitchblende from different veins in tin: Great. Rear Lake area. Both samples are'declared to bo from very high-grade rail hi in-bear-ing ores.

Great Bear Lake is 3000 miles northwest of Edmonton and 800 miles beyond I lie end of Hie railroad at Waterways, Alberta, in a direct line. Enterprising prospectors have gone in by aeroplane, which is tlic only means of access in winter and spring. More .leisurely parlies are taking the 1500-mile water rouLe by the Mackenzie River. Radium is (lie big objective of them all, but they have a keen interest also in reports of rich deposits ol silver, copper and perhaps gold.