OCR

have found employment in the construction of the mine, power plant and transmission facilities, and although these facilities have been in operation only a short time, already 60 of the 120 full-time jobs are held by Navajos. Many of these Navajos are being trained in such technical jobs as chemist, surveyor, heavy equipment operator andmechanic. Besides jobs during both construction and operation, the Navajo Power Project means the availability of large blocks of low cost electric power to the Tribal Authority which in turn provides electrical service to many isolated hogans on the reservation. In the future, the Tribe hopes to attract industry to the reservation both to use this power and to provide more jobs for their people. Archaeological Discoveries Another by-product of the Navajo Power Project was an extensive archaeological survey which resulted in a number of discoveries, the most significant being at Cross Canyon near the village of Granado. In excavat- ing eight of the 16 pueblos discovered at Cross Canyon, experts in the science of antiquities salvaged more than 40 rooms, three pithouses, eight kivas and two great kivas . Archaeologists say the most valuable point about Cross Canyon's group is its "architectural stratigraphy," that is, the position of three villages built at the same location, one on top of the other. Future Possibilities The many benefits which come from a large project such as this are made possible by the substantial capital investment of those concerned. For its part Utah has made an initial investment of over $9 million -- an investment that is an indication of Utah's confidence in the long range bene- fits to be realized from its Navajo Mine. Recently, the services of several research organizations were retained to conduct new studies directed toward the possibilities of the development of additional markets for Navajo coal such as: coal carboniza- tion and gasification, and industries such as aluminum refining which consume large quantities of electrical energy. Although these studies are still in progress, they indicate that coal chemicals and other such uses for sub-bituminous coal in the Four Corners Area are perhaps 10 to 15 years in the future and that the most feasible present use of Utah's Navajo coal is steam-electric generation. The Four Corners Power Plant and Navajo Mine are the first step In the development of a tremendous reserve of coal. Utah is looking forward to evergrowing activity on its Navajo coal leases.