Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1955-05-20
Uranium Prospects
Moving North

MISSOULA-The Forest Service
anticipates greatly expanding
interest in uranium prospecting in
Montana and northern Idaho dur
ing the coming season. Of great
concern to the Forest Service is
the large number of people who
will be travelling through the for
ests prospecting for uranium, and
the fire hazards that may result
from smoking and campfires, ac-
cording to P. D. Hanson, Regional
Forester. Cooperation of the pros
pectors in exercising care with
fire will be greatly appreciated by
the Forest Service, State Foresters
and the various private fire pro-
tectlve agencies. Of perhaps even
greater concern is the long-range
implication of prospecting on such
a broad scale.
1t is fully expected that some
uranium will be discovered, and
no doubt in places of sufficient
quality and quantity to result in
commercial operations. Such dew
elopmentS are to be encouraged
since uranium is very valuable
product and needed in the devel-
opment of our atomic program.
However, with prospecting on such |
a broad scale, many claims will,
be filed upon and recorded in the
county records which will not
support commercial ore When
claims are once filed upon, they
become lien against the land in
solar as government operations are
concerned. This permanent lien
against the land handicaps nor
NAL forest administration, in the
development of recreational fac
ilities, the sale of timber, the con-
other administrative problems. In
order to eliminate such claims
from the records it is necessary
for the government to contest such
claims, process them for hearings,
or bring them into federal courts
IN order to eliminate them from
the records. In some instances the
claimant valves his equity, and
records his abandonment in the
courthouse, or authorizes the For
est Service to proceed with its
normal activities on the land.
The process of removing such
invalid claims from the record is
Understanding and expensive for
the government. Such claims also
encourage either the claimant or
other individuals who may pur-
chase claim to use such equities
as basis for the construction OF
summer homes, or other types OF
uses in violation of the principles
of the mining law. Legislation for
the correction of some of the
abuses of the mining law would,
of course, be desirable.
The Forest Service has been adj
vised that number of Congress-
men and Senator's have introduced
legislation IN the Congress that
would solve many of these per-
picking problems confronting fed
eral land management agencies.
HR Bill 1891 by Rogers, 1858 by
Flare, 5572 by Young, 5577 by FL
lsworth, 1851 by Dawson, and So
95 by Cooley, have been introduce
ed by members of the House OF
Representatives. These bills are
comparable and pertain to simp-
lifying this procedure and pro-
tecting the national forest lands
from illegal use under the mining
law. Senator Anderson has intro
duced Senate Bill 1713, which is
comparable to the other bills list
ed above. 1t is understood that the
Senate and House committees or
Interior. and Insular affairs pla7
to hold hearings on these bills, II
the Senate Committee on May 10
and in the House Committee OF
May 10 and 20. Passage OF these
bills could go a long way TOWARD
correcting some abuses OF IN
mining laws, but at the same TIM
would not hinder or in any wa
handicap the legitimate prospecto
in locating and developing IN
mineral resources on the natlona
forests.
There are at the present tim
more than $4,000 claims on IN
Region / national forests 70
processed. No doubt the uranium
rush will place on record tnous
ands of additional claims Wnlc
require title-quieting acton oe
fore the federal land agencies ca
again manage these lands Tor u
detectives established by varloe