Gallery Talk: Searching for Grand Canyon Uranium

Alan Petersen, MNA Curator of Fine Art, has been exploring the sources of uranium in the Grand Canyon region.

The uranium is found in deep, vertical, geological structures called breccia pipes. In order to fully understand the landscape and geography in which the pipes are located, Petersen set out on his mountain bike and on foot.

Some pipes, such as the site of the former Orphan Mine at the South Rim of Grand Canyon were extremely accessible; others were exquisitely remote. Of the more than 1,200 breccia pipes in the region Petersen has visited 33. His drawings and paintings convey the subtle and nuanced nature of the pipes as landscape features and an interactive map details his travels.

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