U.S. To Expand Uranium Ore Purchase Plan Program Will Run To 1966; Price Set At $8 A Pound By BILL GRAVES News Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - The Atomic Energy Commission will extend the domestic uranium buying program four years from its present expiration date of March 31, 1962. Clinton P. Anderson, chairman of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, says the AEC is expected to make the formal announcement “momentarily.” The AEC announcement will establish a fixed price for domestic uranium concentrate, and the initial production donus which would expire next Feb. 28 will be extended to March 31, 1960. The rest of the domestic program now in effect will be allowed to expire on March 31, 1962, and then be replaced by the new procurement program. Details of this program will come later from the AEC, Mr. Anderson said. Program Cited Here briefly is what the new program will do: Establish a base price of $8 per pound for U308 concentrates. The AEC can limit its purchase of concentrate from any single mining property to 500 tons of U308 concentrates. The AEC can limit its purchases of concentrate from any single mining property to 500 tons of U308 in any calendar year, except that additional concentrate may be purchased lower than $8 per pound if required. All purchases will be made by contract. Amortization of mills contracted before March 31, 1962, will be permitted beyond that date, but not exceed five years. No commitment to purchase vanadium. Mr. Anderson said the revised program will be published in the Federal Register later on. He added, however, that the Canadians are not expected to extend their buying program beyond March 31, 1962. Mr. Anderson said the new program is designed to meet four main goals. Goals Listed They are: Maintenance of adequate domestic production to meet projected military and industrial requirements and gered to the availability of Canadian ores; flexibility in buying according to commission requirements; establishment of concentrate price to help stabilize various uranium products, and gradual transition from government control to a commercial uranium market. Mr. Anderson added that under the new program, producers will be able to sell to licensed commercial users as well as to the government.