RIVERTON RANGER

DATE: MARCH 22, 1997

CITY TO HOST U.S. URANIUM AND NUCLEAR CONFERENCE

A resurgent Wyoming uranium industry takes the main stage March 19-21 when Riverton hosts the United States Uranium and Nuclear Conference.

The conference, held 10 years after the Uranium Roundtable of 1987, will spotlight the progress made in uranium production which has returned Wyoming to the No. 1 producer position in the nation.

Held at Riverton Holiday Inn Convention Center, the conference is bringing back to Rivenon pioneers from the early days of uranium.

Representatives from the active uranium companies will give their progress reports.

Rob Luke, president of Rio Algom Mining Corporation, Oklahoma City, will set the stage for the conference, as he did 10 year ago at the Uraniuin Roundtable.

Rio Algom has under construction in 1997 the in-situ leach mines and uranium milling complex at Smith Ranch, which was on the drawing boards in 1987.

Keynote luncheon speaker is Jerry Grandey, senior vice president of Cameco Corporation, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Cameco completed this spring the purchase of Power Resources, Inc., a leading Wyoming uranium producer.

Grandey brings special insight to the conference. He served as chief executive officer for Energy Fuels Nuclear, successor to Western Nuclear, Inc. Energy Fuels led the nation in uranium production from the unique breccia pipes in Arizona.

Donna Wichers, president of Wyoming Mining Association, heads a contingent from Cogema, owner of Pathfinder Mines Corporation.

Wichers joins other panelists to discuss critical issues before the industry, such as final reclamation standards for aquifers being tapped for uranium through solution mining.

PRl's plans for start of an ISL uranium operation in the Gas Hills will be reviewed at the conference, with Steve Payne, PRl's chief geologist, giving a presentation on the "uranium comeback."

John L. Larsen and Mark Larsen will reveal plans for the Green Mountain Mining Venture and discuss the challenges of uranium mining "start-up companies," which have played such an important role in uranium development.

Taking part in the conference will be the Geological Survey of Wyoming, with James C. Case presenting a talk on Seismic Hazard Analyses for Wyoming's Uranium Industry." Uranium staff geologist Ray E. Harris will explain uranium geology, with Gary B. Glass, state geologist, leading the conference wrap up.

The conference opens Wednesday night with an Ice Breaker Social at the Holiday Inn to which Maxine McNeice, widow of the late "Lucky Mc" Neil McNeice, has been invited. Also invited is co-discoverer and developer of the Gas Hills Lowell A. Morfeld.

Advance registrations have been made from uranium and nuclear power leaders from across North America and the world.