They used a huge 200hp. 4 cylinder diesel engine to power early operation
of the Joe Jr. Mill before the dam & power plant were constructed. Large
single cylinder engines appear in early mining photos at smaller properties.
Uranium country was very isolated before state highways existed and it
still is.
Standard Chemical did drill several test Oil Wells in the Uranium area but
don't think there was much or any production.
There is a nice book ,"Standard Chemical Company", showing many Standard
Chemical properties, mines/oil derricks/mills, that is available from 'The Rimrocker
Historical Society' in Nucla, CO. They have a website and sponsor an Annual
Picnic to celebrate the era at Uarvan.
A fellow who lives near me was Maintenance Manager for the Uravan Mill. There
is some restoration activity going on now at the Uarvan managers company town
in Vancorum; save the exterior, redo the inside. Buildings were used as rentals
for years and that will continue.
In a prior post the question of transportation for early Uranium concentrates is sort
of answered when the book outlines the route taken by mules for delivery to the
railroad at Placerville. Historic photos have shown stacked canvas bags waiting for
the train. Maybe metal drums were used when early trucks could finally reach the
mills and production increased. I have seen color pictures of Yellowcake in metal
drums with the top open for picture waiting for shipment inside the storage building
at the Grand Junction Mill site when it was in operation. This brick Building was still
there 10+ years ago.
The Uranium Era is very much still around. The DOE is an active manager of their
"Legacy Site" program for deeply contaminated locations where locked gates usually
keep the public out.
Randy
