Rules regarding protected resources overlap a bit. On BLM land not designated an historic site, only obvious historic and/or prehistoric resources are protected, such as pottery shards, arrowheads, ruins, etc. On historic sites, protection is also controlled at the State level, but regulations are similar. I have a call into an acquaintance in the State Preservation Office to ask about this. I will also ask about meteorites. If they are only considered a mineral resource, then I think the same rules apply as those for rockhounding, i.e. no power tools, personal use, that sort of thing. If they are considered a prehistoric resource (which I really doubt) then more restrictive rules apply. I only mentioned the shell casings because I know their age falls within the "historic period" (which is defined as anything over 50 years old) and I'm sure they will be protected at the Salt Flats. I will also contact an archaeologist friend of mine who does a lot of work for the Feds and State and should be able to give us some ideas. I think we're safe collecting rocks, but not shell casings or other "artifacts." -----Original Message----- From: Chuck Hards [mailto:chuckhards@yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2003 2:45 PM To: utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com Subject: RE: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Meteorites on the Salt Flats Sevier is exactly one of the areas I was thinking about...another thought is frozen lake surfaces, for very recent falls. It's been so warm this winter, though, I wonder if any of the larger lakes have frozen-over this year. I have a suspicion that Utah ice-fishermen are having fits. Kim, are all items on BLM land protected? I mean, could we get in trouble for taking the meteorites themselves? I know that taking a living plant from BLM land is forbidden; it's not just artifacts. Chuck --- Kim Hyatt <khyatt@smithlayton.com> wrote:

Dave Bennett discovered a map somewhere that indicates known meteorite "fall" sites in Utah. Surprisingly, there are several. The one I remember is on or near Sevier Lake, another site I had considered before knowing others had already had success there. Maybe Dave will share that info?

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