DISCOVERY OF THE ALVORD, USA, IRON METEORITE

Name: ALVORD

Place of find: 1.3 miles southeast of Alvord, Lyon County, Iowa, USA.

43°19'20"N., 96° 17'20"W.

Date of find: About June 15, 1976.

Class and type: Iron. Fine octahedrite (probably IVA).

Number of individual

specimens: 1

Total weight: 17.5 kg

Circumstances of find: Mr. Herbert Van Enzen was cultivating his corn field when one of the shovels hit an object. He placed it in the cab of his tractor in order to remove a hazard from the field. Mr. Van Enzen realized that it was an unusual object when he unloaded it in the farmyard at the end of the day. Mr. John L. Mulhall visited Mr. Van Enzen on June 25, 1976 and suggested that the object be taken to the Sioux City Public Museum. Mr. B.R. Diamond, the Director, recognised the specimen as an iron meteorite and it was sent to the Smith­sonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

Sources: John L. Mulhall, 3440 Virginia Street, Sioux City, Iowa 51104, and B.R. Diamond, Director, Sioux City Public Museum, 2901 Jackson Street, Sioux City, Iowa.