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'Hollow, riveted, not magnetic': Hikers discover location of Utah's mysterious monolith

Despite the discretion of authorities, visitors have successfully located a mysterious metal monolith in Utah that was revealed earlier in the week.

Monday, the Utah Department of Public Safety shared that an approximately 10-foot metal column with four sides had been found in Utah's Red Rock Country. The exact location of the installation was not disclosed in an effort to stop individuals from attempting to locate it, for fear visitors could potentially become stranded in a remote area. But that didn't stop David Surber, who started sharing video and images of the monolith to an unverified Instagram account Wednesday.

In a video tagged in Moab, Surber tested if the structure is magnetic and solid. "Hollow, riveted, not magnetic," he said in the clip.

He detailed the monolith's makeup in the video's caption, explaining it is "three pieces riveted together," noting, "two rivets missing up top." He also warned fellow curious adventures that "a sedan won’t cut it" and suggested "Crossover SUV or higher."

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Surber also shared that he was not the only one able to track the site.

"I had it alone to myself for about 10 minutes in the morning before people started showing up but overall not too crowded you all want to make the journey," he wrote.

In another video shared to the social media site, Surber elaborated on his "awesome journey."

"Regardless of who built it or where it came from," he wrote. "It was a positive escape from today’s world. Some for many people to rally behind and enjoy together."

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Monolith discovered in Utah's Red Rock Country.
Monolith discovered in Utah's Red Rock Country.

In a statement shared on its website Monday, the Utah DPS said the structure was discovered by the DPS's Aero Bureau and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources on Nov. 18.

The statement added that there was "no obvious indication" of who installed the monolith but reminded the public that it is illegal to install "structures or art without authorization on federally managed public lands, no matter what planet you’re from."

"We’re almost 100% sure this is an installation attempt of some kind," Utah Department of Public Safety spokesperson Lt. Nick Street told USA TODAY. "Not an attempt, they successfully installed it in the Red Rock in southeastern Utah."

Contributing: Sara M. Moniuszko

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Utah monolith found by hikers: 'A positive escape from today’s world'