This site is the well known Topaz Mountain locality first described by Captain Simpson in the mid-19th century during reconnaissance for a telegraph route. The site and the area was later explored extensively by Maynard Bixby who first discovered bixbyite in the northern end of the Thomas Range. The site was also extensively studied by Staatz and Carr in the early 1960's and the best mapping and description of the area can be in "Staatz, M. H. and Carr, W. J., 1964, Geology and mineral deposits of the Thomas and Dugway Ranges, Juab and Tooele Counties, Utah: U. S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 415, 188 p." Although many claims were filed in and around the Topaz Valley over the years, the Bureau of Land Management has revoked all claims and has opened up the area to public collecting with hand tools only. This action by the BLM at this point only covers the Topaz Valley area and all other claims in the Thomas Range are still valid. One must obtain permission of the claim holders before collecting in other areas under claim in the area.
Ref: J. Holfert, W. Mroch, J. Fuller (1996) A Field Guide to Topaz and Associated Minerals of the Thomas Range, Utah (Topaz Mountain) Vol I HM Publishing 103pp
