| Basis for focus area |
Polygon for area enclosing Zn mines, prospects, and occurrences from MRDS. |
| Identified resources |
Historical production of zinc. |
| Production |
Unknown. |
| Status |
Past mining. |
| Estimated resources |
Unknown. |
| Geologic maps |
Horton and others (2017), scale 1:500,000; all 7.5-minute (scale 1:24,000) geologic quadrangle maps have been completed for this area. |
| Geophysical data |
Inadequate aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric coverage. |
| Favorable rocks and structures |
The Lower Ordovician Kingsport and Mascot Formations, part of the Knox Group, host the majority of the ore. Most ore occurs in altered limestone beds in the lower and middle members of the Mascot Dolomite, the uppermost Formation in the Knox Group within dissolution collapse breccias and caverns (Potra and Moyers, 2017). |
| Deposits |
Flat Gap mine, Clinch Valley (Idol mine) (MRDS dep_id: 10232548). |
| Evidence from mineral occurrences |
MRDS. |
| Geochemical evidence |
Sphalerite and galena, as well as smithsonite and cerussite, occur with pyrite. The Flat Gap area was prospected by looking for anomalous Zn concentrations in soils (Hoagland, 1962). |
| Geophysical evidence |
No data. |
| Evidence from other sources |
Hill and others (1971); Hoagland and others (1965); Purdue (1912); Secrist (1924). |
| Comments |
A wealth of information about Zn mining in Tennessee is available at: https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/542b0003e4b057766eed29e5. |
| Cover thickness and description |
Surface to <800 feet. |
| Authors |
Laurel G. Woodruff, Peter J. Lemiszki. |
| New data needs |
Geophysical data. |
| Geologic mapping and modeling needs |
Geologic mapping adequate. |
| Geophysical survey and modeling needs |
High resolution geophysical coverage. Note that the timing of the deposits is uncertain; they may have been transported on thrust sheets. |
| Digital elevation data needs |
Lidar adequate. |
