Barrett, Hon. Frank A., a United States Senator from the State of 49 Berry, Hon. E. Y., a Representative in Congress from the State of 249 Mc Meen, Gordon E., president, Lutah Uranium & Oil Co.. Mecia, J. A., vice president, Lucky McUranium Corp. and Utah Con- Brosseau, J. E., president, Westwater Corp.- Carroll, Hon. John A., á United States Senator from the State of Case, Hon. Francis, a United States Senator from the State of South Chord, Roy C., representing the Edgemont, S. Dak., mining district_ _ Davidson, W. L., president, Lone Star Mining & Development Co-- Elggren, C. Allen, secretary and counsel, Federal Uranium Corp.... Jenkins, Page T., vice president, Globe Mining Co.... Strauss, Lewis L., Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission....... Krueger, Hon. Otto, a Representative in Congress from the State of Lohbeck, Don, executive vice president, Thor-Westcliffe Development 88 154 Nason, J. H., vice president and general manager, Cog Minerals Corp- 209 216 Vance, Harold S., Commissioner, Atomic Energy Commission_ Watkins, Hon. Arthur V., a United States Senator from the State of Wilson, Parker, president, Cotter Corp-- 160 Young, Hon. Milton R., a United States Senator from the State of 273 Bowen, Max W., Golden Cycle Corp--- 184 Burdick, Hon. Usher L., a Representative in Congress from the State 281 Spurrier, Richard R., on behalf of the Santa Fe Oil Co... 134 Domestic Uranium Circular 5, Revised....... Resolution of the New Mexico Economic Development Commission, Survey of Marketing Problems in the Uranium Industry Today, 146 Testimony concerning the uranium deposit on Palangana Dome, 215 Appendix 1.-Remarks prepared by Jesse C. Johnson, Director, Division of Raw Materials, United States Atomic Energy Commis- sion, for delivery before the fourth annual conference of the Atomic Industrial Forum, New York, N. Y., October 28, 1957. Appendix 2.-Remarks prepared by Elton A. Youngberg, assistant manager for operations, Grand Junction Operations Office, United States Atomic Energy Commission, for presentation before the symposium sponsored by the United States Chamber of Commerce and the Uranium Institute of America, Denver, Colo., December 16, 1957__ Appendix 3.-AEC's October 1957 announcement on limiting uranium procurement; statement made to the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy by Jesse C. Johnson, Director, Division of Raw Materials, Appendix 4.-Additional domestic uranium production statistics for Appendix 5.-Joint Committee press release No. 114, January 21, 1958, Appendix 6.Address by Senator Albert Gore before the National Western Mining Conference, Denver, Colo., February 8, 1958--- Appendix 7.-Joint Committee press release No. 132, March 17, 1958, announcing delay of AEC uranium report_ Appendix 8.-Letter dated April 2, 1958, to Chairman Durham from Lewis L. Strauss, Chairman, AEC, transmitting report----- Appendix 9.-A report on the domestic mining and milling problems resulting from limitation on additional milling capacity by the Divi- sion of Raw Materials, Atomic Energy Commission.. Appendix 10.-Joint Committee press release of April 2, 1958, relative 293 PROBLEMS OF THE URANIUM MINING AND MILLING INDUSTRY WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1958 CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC ENERGY, Washington, D.C. Present: Representatives Durham (chairman of the committee), Holifield, Price, Dempsey, Van Zandt, and Hosmer; Senators Anderson, Pastore, Hickenlooper, Bricker, and Dworshak. Also present: James T. Ramey, executive director; David R. Toll, staff counsel; and George E. Brown, Jr., and Richard Smith, staff members, Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. Chairman DURHAM. As part of our hearings under section 202 of the Atomic Energy Act held each year on "development, growth, and state of the atomic energy industry," the Joint Committee is much concerned this year with the problems of the domestic uranium mining and milling industry. Our first witness this afternoon who will testify concerning this subject is Commissioner Vance. Chairman Strauss, the other Commissioners, and Mr. Jesse Johnson, Director of the AEC Division of Raw Materials, are also present to answer questions from committee members. You may proceed, Commissioner Vance. STATEMENTS OF LEWIS L. STRAUSS, CHAIRMAN, HAROLD S. VANCE, COMMISSIONER, AND JESSE C. JOHNSON, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF RAW MATERIALS, ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION Mr. VANCE. Mr. Chairman, the first subject assigned to me for presentation today is the raw materials base for the atomic industry. Our uranium supply situation has remained strong during the past year. Domestic ore production increased to 3.6 million tons. In terms of U308 concentrate, our domestic production is now at the rate of 10,000 tons annually and is scheduled to increase to more than 15,000 tons annually by a year from now. Before the end of 1959, this rate may reach 17,000 to 18,000 tons. Our reserve position has continued to improve, with total domestic reserves now estimated at 75 million tons of ore as against 60 million tons last year. This ore reserve is equivalent to approximately 200,000 tons of U308 and, thus, represents about a 10-year supply at the estimated 1960 domestic production rate. Although domestic ore and mill production increased during the year, foreign sources continued to furnish a substantial portion of our total concentrate purchases. It is expected that these foreign supplies will diminish after the next few years, as many contracts ex 1 |