For many years I have been reading this Board with interest but this Thread provides me the opportunity to add some perspective others may have additional interest or more information.
Prior to this area being mined for Uranium, the Carnotite and Pitchblend Ores were mined for Radium. During the early 1900's Ore was mined from here and shipped to Europe to be refined into Radium which was used for medical and industrial uses (Radium-Opaque Paints). In 1912, the National Radium Institute was formed and operated in Denver were Carnotite Ore was refined into Radium.
My interest in the Radium industry came in the early 1980's when I was employed by US Environmental Protection Agency to manage a Radium Superfund Cleanup Project in Northern New Jersey. US Radium Corporation was the third largest producer of Radium products and imported the Carnotite Ore to Orange, New Jersey from Western Colorado via rail in 100 pound sacks. During the record search, we were able to identify specific mines located in the Paradox Valley and the ore material was hauled to Placerville where it was loaded to train and shipped east. Rail routing records were not always located but Montrose was one town usually mentioned.
The radium industry declined during the 1930's partly because of the ingestion of radium paint by the watch dial painters and their subsequent health issues and also because the same ore could be processed for Thorium or Uranium, products that became in more demand during the 1940's. Also, Radium mines located in Western Canada began producing better graded material that contained higher quality ore. Lastly, the former National Radium Institute site is under the Home Depot parking lot located off I-25 in downtown Denver.
Thanks for a very interesting Thread.
