Chapter 10 BLACK GOLD AND YELLOW CAKE 197 In 1959, General Manager Allen D. Christensen (front row left) signed one of several contracts with the Atomic Energy Commission. extensive exploration efforts, even recovering some ore near the surface. In the words of Wes Bourret, “they found the project over their heads,” needing funds and expertise beyond New Park’s capabilities. “Cranmer had already taken the Lucky Mc deal to everybody in the business,” added Bourret, “including Homestake and Anaconda, and they had all turned him down.” When Bourret originally analyzed the deposit, he found “the mine was not adequately drilled, the drilling being too shallow and in the wrong places.” Comfortable that Utah could correct these problems and be in full-scale operation by June 30, 1957, less than two years later, Bourret reported his findings to Christensen. Board approval followed in September 1955, for the company to get into the uranium business. Utah offered the Lucky Mc Corporation an option to acquire 60 percent of the company. Based on Bourret’s initial findings, Utah executives authorized a budget of $200,000 for preliminary drilling while management attempted to negotiate a contract with the Atomic Energy Commission. “After ten to eleven months of drilling and a tough winter with tent camps,” Bourret