URANIUM PRODUCTION IN DOMINION

Chronicle (Levin), 29 August 1947, Page 4

URANIUM PRODUCTION IN DOMINION

WELLINGTON, August 28. The possibility of sniall-scale production of uraniuin and thorium in >sTew Zealand if necessary in the future is mentioned in the annual report of the Department of Scientifie and fndustrial Research, which was presented in the House of Representatives. The report stated that the reconnaissanee survey of the Doniinion's resoiirces of uranium and thorium had proceeded to a point where an indication eotild be giveii of the possibiiities of recovery should thc.se minerals be come of high commercial value. In the case of the recovery of tailings from certain dredges, it had been found that in' order to effeet complete recovery of uranium the Work of the dredges would have to be slowed down and the output of gold thus reduced. Consequently, effort had beeii devoted to new and important methods of separation of the heavy minerals from such tailings and from cei'tairt sands. An offieer of the Nuelear Physics Section had spent some considerable time in Australia studying methods of ffotation and separation of heavy mineral, and ae a result of this and also of other investigations elsewhere. equipment was in process of assembLy 90 that such separation tould be carried otit more efficiently. It seemed reasonably hopeful that small-scale production could, if necessary, be carried out in future.