Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (the Condon Report, complete, three volumes)

Although the Brazil fragment proved not to be pure, as claimed,
tile possibility r('mained that the material ~las unique. The hi~h content
of Sr ~as particulary interesting, since Sr is not an expected impurity
in magnesium made by usual production methods, and Dr. Busk knew of
no one who intentionally added strontium to commercial rr:agnesium.
The sample was, therefore, subjected also to a metallographic and
microprobe analysis at the magnesium Metallul'gical Laboratory of the
1)0\\' Chemical Company, through the cooperation of Dr. Busk and Dr. D. R.
Beaman. Again, all work was monitored by this writer. Microprobe
analysis confirmed the presence of strontium and showed it to be uni-
formly distribut::·d in the sample (see Case 4 ). In all probabi Ii ty,
the strontium was added intentionally during manufacture of the material
from \I'll ich the sampl,~ came. Mctallographic examinations show large j
~longated magncsilu' ~rains, in~icating that the metal had not been
\,orked after ~ol idific:ation from the liquid or vapor state. Tt
therefor2 seems doubtful that this sample had been a part of a fabri-
cated metal object.
,\ c1H.'~k of "(lI\' ~I('tallurgical Labo.ratory r ('cords revealeJ th~Jt,
o\'er th - ,W~u Sr. I\s early as 2; r'1arch 1940, it produced
:,700,\:;'1. ha\e l , of ~I!.~ containing nominally the same concentration of
,l :l"()ul the samples' origin. The claim of Ilnu:-;ua] purity of
till' 1'1;).:l1V,:i,I!'i rra~I1K'Jlts has hL'cn disproved. 'l1w fragments l10 not show
:,lniqul' \'l' :Ilwmained that the material ~Ias unique. The high content
of Sr ~as particulary interesting, since Sr is not an expected impurity
in magnesium made by usual production methods, and Dr. Husk knew of
no one who intentionally added stcontium to commercial rr:agnesium.
The sample was, therefore, subj ec,ted also to a metallographic and
microprobe analysis at the magnesium Metallul'gical Laboratory of the
POI,' Chemical Company, through the cooperation of Dr. Busk and Dr. D. R.
Ileaman. Again, all \"ork was monitored by this writer. Microprobe
analysis confirmed the presence of strontium and showed it to be uni-
formly distributed in the sample (see Case 4). In all prooability.
the strontium was added intentionally during manufacture of the material
from \I'hich the sampL,' cam';). Metallographic examinations show large,
~Iongat~d magnesilu' ~rains, in~icating that the metal had not been
\.or},ed after :-01 idification from the liquid or vapor ~tat~'. rt
thl'refc)l"2 seems doubtful tlHlt this sample had been a part of a fClbri-
cated metal o~ject,
,\ ci1t'ck of ~'(lh' ~lctallurgical Labo,atory records fcvcal{'J tli~Jt,
o\'er th(' \'ear~, th,s laborator~ made experimental hatdles of Mg alloy
"IILllllill): from ll.l~, - ,lll~u Sr. !\s early as 2:; I'larell 194(), it produced
:l 70(1 ,,:,'1. 1':11 l', of '\I).~ containing nominally th(. same concentration of
:>1' as \,:1, ';Ol1lailiCO It) the Ubatuba sample.
~lnc(' "111\ :1 fc\, grams of the Ubatuba m~gncsiun' :1T'e known to exist,
,11hl till'Sl' cPllld I ,I\'C l':>en produced by commCln e!lrthly technology known prior
t" 1~);~. the ,'\i"t('n~'(' ~tnd composition of these samples themselves reveal no
i 111'01"1:1:11 i 1'1 :1"Plit the :-ampl('~' origin. The Claim of ilnu:-;ual purity of
thl' l'I:lf:nl'': 1',11', I'l'a~nK'Jlts has hl'en disproved, '!11e fragments do not show
',In1 qlll' \'1" 'Ilwoll'th 1\' composi tion, and therefore they cannot he used as
\':d i d l'\ i ,iel1l"C of th<.' extra-terre:.;t.rial origin uf a vehicle of which
the\' ale ('laimed to have been II part.
143