isotopes and their radiation eenbinue to be, next to pease
itself, our most tangible peaceful. une-of the satan. They are now
saving the taxpayer bundreda of milidone of dollars anmmelly through
reduced manufactauting costs for industrysind promise to reach the
_, kevel of seversl billions if our present plans for an isotope
Development Progran--similar to the familiar Power Development
Progrem-~succeed.
7
Thia program was Juss leunched this fiscal year.
Our Plowshare people are investigating several peaceful eyplica-
The mechanical end thermal. affects of the explosion may enable
economical recovery of o11 from hitherto unexploited deposits.
Meany civil engineering projacts which are almost impossible by
couventional means may becone entirely feasible with nuclear explosives.
Removal of overburden or byeakeuy or ores by nuclear explosives
mey aid mining operations. For sxample, Kennecott Copper has found
e, Lerge copper ore deposit which cannotbe mined econumleally by
present methods.
situ to be used.
Nuclear breainip may.allow econamical leaching in
Their Mr. Boydhas been in to see us and is very
interested in learn of the breakup capabilities of nuclear devices.
If it can be tapped,the vent reservoir ef contained heat
resulting from en underground explosion may produce cheaper powers:
Useful. isotopes are produced within a nuclear explosion--in
& few microseconds ancunts can be made which would require months
in an atomic pile. The difficult istheir recoveryend purification
by economical .Lmetheds.
Thia is under study.
The intense heat and pressure.ata. muclear explosion may enable
selentific experiments otherwise unterforn
of geophysical measurement of thaearth's interior by selamological
obpervation.
|
Ve have plans to conduct certain specific experiments in the
hear Tubure, and these I have.r Sat ous oa my fecond ‘Sherts|
rd)
ag
tions, as illustrated on this chert.