THE DRUM MOUNTAINS, UTAH, METEORITE 



By E. P. HENDERSON 

 Associate Curator, Division of Mineralogy and Petrology 



AND 



S. H. PERRY 

 Associate in Mineralogy 

 U. S. National Museum 



(With Five Pl.\tes) 



On September 24. 1944, two Japanese men, Yoshio Xishimoto and 

 Akio Ujiliara, temporarily stationed at the Topaz Relocation Center, 

 Utah, were prospecting for rocks suitable for their class in lapidary 

 arts. The area under investigation was about 16 miles west of Topaz 

 in the Drum Mountains (latitude 39°3o' N., longitude ii2°54' W.). 

 This district had been prospected several times with varying degrees 

 of success, but fortunately these men were unusually persistent. Their 

 trail happened to pass near a large rock protruding above ground 

 about 2 feet. They noticed that it had a different appearance from 

 other rocks scattered about ; it was dark brown in color and had holes 

 in it ; it would "not chip with a hammer." As a result the men sus- 

 pected that they had found something out of the ordinary, and Mr. 

 Xishimoto sent a specimen of the rock to the Smithsonian Institution, 

 with a letter of explanation describing the find. 



The specimen was small and very much battered, but the descrip- 

 tion and sketch of the mass that accompanied it indicated clearly that 

 a new and large meteorite had very likely been found. Tests made 

 on the sample furnished proved that it was an octahedral meteorite. 

 .\ quick search of our records failed to show any known fall from 

 near Topaz, Utah ; hence the specimen at once became of particular 

 interest to us. The U. S. Geological Survey was asked to furnish a 

 trained geologist to make a field investigation. They kindly consented 

 and detailed Arthur E. Granger, then stationed in their Salt I^ke 

 City oftice, to make the study. The following is his reix)rt : 



The meteorite and the area surrounding it were examined on October 8, 1944. 



The specimen was found in an area of low hills lying between the Drum 

 Mountains and the Little Drum Mountains. No section corners were found, 

 but from other observations tiie location of the specimen was determined to be 



SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS, VOL. 110, NO. 12 



