In October 1955 the company explored the Lucky Mc reserve, moving in three rotary drills, setting up a geologic camp, and establishing an assay lab in Denver. LUCKY MC Two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, emerged from the wreckage of World War II, and soon many nations polarized around the economic philosophies of capitalism or communism. Because the United States had employed nuclear bombs to end the war against Japan, uranium fever swept the West as the Cold War with the Soviet Union took hold. Amateurs undertook prospecting in such numbers that the federal government provided a how-to pamphlet for 50 cents and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Neil McNiece, the operator of a one-man garage in Riverton, Wyoming, was one of many who took along a Geiger counter on weekend outings. He was luckier than most, as the name of his mining claims attested; but he and his partner soon found themselves out of their depth when it came to refining uranium concentrate and then marketing the product. The Utah Construction Company "was already looking for prospects when I received a telephone call from Marriner Browning, one of Utah's directors," Littlefield related. "The Browning family was our third-largest shareholder. Over the phone Marriner introduced his nephew, Seaton Prince, who gave me background on the Lucky Mc claims. I assured Seaton that our head geologist, Weston Bourret, would follow up.... "Wes went to Wyoming, and indeed it was a very significant discovery. Lucky Mc gave us the clue that we needed as to where one was likely to find concentrated deposits of uranium," Littlefield continued. "We actually located more uranium reserves off the Lucky Mc claims than were on the Lucky Mc deposit itself." In fact, the company's rich uranium strike in Shirley Basin was featured in the March 1959 issue of Fortune magazine.