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Mineral Resources > Online Spatial Data > Geology > by state > North Carolina Geology

Geologic units in Cherokee county, North Carolina

[Additional scientific data in this geographic area]

Amphibolite (Cambrian/Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Amphibolite - equigranular, massive to well foliated, dioritic to basaltic dikes and sills; variably metamorphosed.

Lithology: amphibolite; basalt; diorite

Ocoee Supergroup, Great Smokey Group; Dean Formation (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 7 % of this area

Dean Formation - sericite schist with cross-biotite, staurolite, and garnet porphyroblasts; interbedded metagraywacke and quartz-pebble metaconglomerate.

Lithology: mica schist; metasedimentary rock

Mineral Bluff Formation (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 15 % of this area

Mineral Bluff Formation - quartz-chlorite-sericite schist and phyllite with thin quartzite layers and minor interbedded graphitic schist, garnet-mica schist, staurolite schist, cross-biotite schist, and dark slate.

Lithology: schist; phyllite; quartzite; slate

Ocoee Supergroup, Great Smokey Group; Boyd Gap Formation (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Boyd Gap Formation - dark gray, highly-sulfidic slate and metasiltstone interbedded and gradational with metagraywacke. Stratigraphic position uncertain. In Cherokee County includes upper part of Buck Bald Formation.

Lithology: slate; metasedimentary rock

Murphy Marble, Andrews Formation, and Nottely Quartzite, undivided (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Murphy Marble, Andrews Formation, and Nottely Quartzite, undivided - Murphy Marble: calcareous to dolomitic; Andrews Formation: calcareous cross-biotite schist; Nottely Quartzite: meta-orthoquartzite with slate.

Lithology: marble; schist; quartzite; slate

Ocoee Supergroup, Great Smokey Group; Copperhill Formation (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 10 % of this area

Copperhill Formation - metagraywacke, massive, graded bedding common; includes dark-gray slate, mica schist, and nodular calc-silicate rock.

Lithology: metasedimentary rock; slate; mica schist; calc-silicate rock

Ocoee Supergroup, Great Smokey Group; Metasandstone, Metagraywacke, Metasiltstone, and Mica Schist (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 19 % of this area

Metasandstone, Metagraywacke, Metasiltstone, and Mica Schist - beds and lenses of calc-silicate rock locally abundant; garnet, staurolite, and cross-biotite porphyroblasts common in fine-grained layers. Includes Hughes Gap and Hothouse formations in southern area; Horse Branch Member of Ammons Formation and Grassy Branch Formation in northern area.

Lithology: metasedimentary rock; mica schist; calc-silicate rock

Nantahala Formation and Tusquitee Quartzite, undivided (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 9 % of this area

Nantahala Formation and Tusquitee Quartzite, undivided - Nantahala Formation: slate and metasiltstone, dark gray, laminated to thin bedded, sulfidic; Tusquitee Quartzite: white to light yellowish gray, numerous, thin slate layers.

Lithology: slate; metasedimentary rock; quartzite

Ocoee Supergroup, Great Smokey Group; Slate of Copperhill Formation (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Slate of Copperhill Formation - slate to phyllite, dark gray, graphitic, sulfidic; includes metagraywacke with local graded bedding.

Lithology: slate; phyllite; metasedimentary rock

Brasstown Formation (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 13 % of this area

Brasstown Formation - cross-biotite schist; includes micaceous quartzite in lower part.

Lithology: mica schist; quartzite

Ocoee Supergroup, Great Smokey Group; Wehutty Formation (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 18 % of this area

Wehutty Formation - slate to schist, dark gray, graphitic and sulfidic; includes mica schist, metagraywacke, and metaconglomerate.

Lithology: slate; schist; metasedimentary rock

Great Smoky Group, including Anakeesta Formation, Thunderhead Sandstone, and Elkmont Sandstone (Precambrian) at surface, covers 0.4 % of this area

Great Smoky Group - Characterized by very massive layers of coarse graywacke and arkose. The formations have been mapped only in the region of the Great Smoky Mountains. Near Ducktown, in ascending order, the Copperhill, Hughes Gap, Hothouse, and Dean Formations are recognized. Thickness 14,000 to about 40,000 feet. Includes Anakeesta Formation - Dark-gray, bluish-gray, and black slate with dark-gray interbeds of fine-grained sandstone. Thickness 3,000 to 4,500 feet; Thunderhead Sandstone - Coarse, gray feldspathic sandstone, graywacke, and conglomerate; occurs in massive ledges; graded bedding and blue quartz characteristic. Thickness 5,500 to 6,300 feet; Elkmont Sandstone - Coarse to fine, gray feldspathic sandstone, graywacke, and fine conglomerate; generally finer grained beds in lower part; graded bedding typical. Thickness 1,000 to 8,000 feet

Lithology: graywacke; arkose; slate; sandstone; conglomerate

Ocoee Supergroup, Great Smokey Group; Phyllite (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Phyllite - dark olive gray, graphitic and sulfidic.

Lithology: phyllite