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

Geologic units in Rutherford county, North Carolina

[Additional scientific data in this geographic area]

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

Megacrystic Biotite Gneiss - poorly layered to massive; megacrysts of microcline and quartz; local mica schist, amphibolite, and biotite gneiss

Lithology: biotite gneiss; mica schist; amphibolite

Mica Schist (Cambrian/Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 20 % of this area

Mica Schist - Garnet, staurolite, kyanite, or sillimanite occur locally; lenses and layers of quartz schist, micaceous quartzite, calc-silicate rock, biotite gneiss, amphibolite, and phyllite.

Lithology: mica schist; quartzite; calc-silicate rock; biotite gneiss; amphibolite; phyllite

Sillimanite-mica schist and muscovite-biotite schist (Cambrian or Neoproterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Sillimanite-mica schist and muscovite-biotite schist: thin to thick layered sillimanite-mica schist and sillimanite-bearing muscovite-biotite schist

Lithology: mica schist

Granite Gneiss (Silurian/Ordovician) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Granite Gneiss (438 my) - poorly foliated; interlayered with biotite augen gneiss.

Lithology: granitic gneiss; augen gneiss

Garnet-Mica Schist (Cambrian/Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Garnet-Mica Schist - interlayered with amphibolite.

Lithology: mica schist; amphibolite

Caesars Head Granite Gneiss (Devonian/Silurian) at surface, covers 0.1 % of this area

Caesars Head Granite Gneiss (409 my) - equigranular to porphyritic, massive to well foliated; contains biotite and muscovite.

Lithology: granitic gneiss

Inequigranular Biotite Gneiss (Cambrian/Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

Inequigranular Biotite Gneiss - weakly foliated to massive, contains plagioclase megacrysts and, rarely, larger megacrysts of quartz and feldspar.

Lithology: biotite gneiss

Migmatitic Granitic Gneiss (Ordovician/Cambrian) at surface, covers 18 % of this area

Migmatitic Granitic Gneiss - foliated to massive, granitic to quartz dioritic; biotite gneiss and amphibolite common.

Lithology: granitic gneiss; biotite gneiss; amphibolite

Biotite gneiss and muscovite-biotite gneiss (Cambrian or Neoproterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Biotite gneiss and muscovite-biotite gneiss: layered biotite-quartz-feldspar gneiss

Lithology: biotite gneiss

Porphyroblastic Gneiss (Cambrian/Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Porphyroblastic Gneiss - massive to foliated, granodioritic, migmatitic.

Lithology: gneiss

Amphibolite and Biotite Gneiss (Cambrian/Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 12 % of this area

Amphibolite and Biotite Gneiss - interlayered; minor layers and lenses of hornblende gneiss, metagabbro, mica schist, and granitic rock.

Lithology: amphibolite; biotite gneiss; mafic gneiss; mica schist; granite; metamorphic rock

Henderson Gneiss (Cambrian) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

Henderson Gneiss (524 my) - monzonitic to granodioritic; inequigranular.

Lithology: gneiss

Biotite Gneiss and Schist (Cambrian/Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers 32 % of this area

Biotite Gneiss and Schist - inequigranular, locally abundant potassic feldspar and garnet; interlayered and gradational with calc-silicate rock, sillimanite-mica schist, mica schist, and amphibolite. Contains small masses of granitic rock.

Lithology: biotite gneiss; mica schist; amphibolite; calc-silicate rock; granite

Metamorphosed Granitic Rock (Ordovician/Cambrian) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

Metamorphosed Granitic Rock (455-540 my) - equigranular to megacrystic, foliated to massive. Includes Toluca Granite.

Lithology: metamorphic rock