Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-03-28
BROAD PROGRAM
OF DEVELOPMENT
IN WEST SLATED
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT READY
TO HARNESS BIG PROJECT
TO WAR EFFORT

I0E QEUdItulCuL VI IAAE AAASIAAlA A
sady. upon congressional authorize
ION, to act Immediately in harnessint
to the war effort the vast mineral anC
mower resources Of the nation. Secre-
taYy Of the Interior Harold L. Icke'
said, In laying before the senate pro
posed expansion program Of mineral
and power DEVELOPMENTS In the United
States scaled to help meet the enor-
nous demands of the presidents wal
production schedule.
Secretary Ickes submitted, IN re-
Spouse to an inquiry from Senator
Joseph G. OiNdahoney Of Wyoming, de-
tails of a program which would use
low-grade domestic ores to help make
the United States independent Of for
eign minerals during the emergency,
save millions Of tons of shipping, re-
lease the necessary navy convoy YES
sels, and would also look toward the
rounded development Of the west.
MuItip0int Program
The multipoint resources mobiliZa-
ton program proposed included the
financing Of mineral and industrial
development, avoiding monopolization,
and the development Of additional
power facilities to meet war require
ments and later to serve America in
peace. It included sample power prof.
ects out of many possible developments
in the west. These IT sample projects
in IL states alone would provide 10
billion kilowatt-hours Of energy an
nually.
Three major "bottleneclSs" in this
u-out program we're identified by
ecretary Ickes as being production,
xploration and capitalization. To
dive "bottleneck No. l, he asked that
ne bureau Of mines be instructed by
congress to push to a "triple-speed
basis" the development Of processes toi
make possible the large-scale utiliza-
ton of low-grade ores, and to make
these processes available to industry,
even to the extent Of providing users
Of new processes with the part-time
services Of skilled engineers.
About Exploration
Secretary Ickes asked congress to-
make funds available for exploratory
work by the geological survey and the
bureau of mines for copper, iron,
chromite, zinc and lead, involving the
assignment of $50 additional engineers
and biologists to intensive exploratory
work in low-grade areas in tentative
list of 90 states and Alaska. This would
break '9bottleneck No. g."
To secure capital for the develop
ment of short-nved or low-grade ore
bodies and for mills and smelters toI
develop such low-grade materials, al
problem termed 'bottleneck No. 3"
Secretary Ickes proposed that, when
requested by the war production board, |
he department Of the interior should
,e given the power to certify to the
reconstruction Finance Corp for loans
O companies or individuals seeking tol
Increase the production of these es-
ential war minerals AS a last resort,
If private capital or competent man
agement would not be interested in
developments of considerable risk, he
suggested that the bureau Of mines
be allowed to develop the mines or
custom mills or refineries.
New Processes
Other proposals included the estab-
lishment of a minerals policy board,
recommendations for manganese de-
velopment involving the erection Of
eight large milling plants, three hydro
metallurgical processing plants, and
one matte smelling plant; recommen-
dations for the revision Of aluminium
manufacturing processes to make the
fullest possible use of new processes
developed by the bureau Of mines
which utilize common aluminium
bearing materials; and recommended
tons for the use, when completed, of
new processes for the production Of
magnesium, chromium, vanadium, sup
erphosphate and phosphorus in suffi-
cient quantities for war needs.
Increase Western Power
Steam and hydropower plants were
recommended at many points through
)ut the west. A series of II sample
power projects, at an estimated total
ost of $3506O9. 900, was proposed.
"The measure I have suggested
bove. under the heads of mineral de-
elopment and power for the west"
said Ickes, would do something to
put individuals and small companies
into action for the war and for a
few years afterward While that would
be something definite toward winning
the war, it would not be any great
underpinning for the postwar situation
IN the west"