| Basis for focus area |
Polygon around mining district from MRDS and the Geological Survey of Alabama's FY19 NGGDPP-Priority 3 critical minerals database. Based on favorable geology and historical gold and sulfide production (for example, Brewer, 1896; Adams, 1930; Pardee and Park, 1948; Neathery, 1968a; Spaine, 1969; Simpson and Neathery, 1980; Rheams, 1984; Lesher and others, 1989). |
| Identified resources |
Historical production of gold. |
| Production |
Unknown quantities of Au and sulfide-bearing minerals historically produced during the mid- to late-1800s and early 1900s. |
| Status |
Past mining for Au from placers followed by Au-bearing lodes and then later on sulfide minerals, such as arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, and pyrrhotite. |
| Estimated resources |
Unknown. |
| Geologic maps |
Osborne and others (1989), scale 1:500,000; Beg (1987), scale 1:126,720; Dean and Clarke (1988), scale 1:126,720; Neathery and Reynolds (1975), scale 1:24,000; Allison and Wachal (2001), scale 1:24,000; Tull (2011), scale 1:24,000; Allison and Salley (2001), scale 1:24,000. |
| Geophysical data |
Inadequate Rank 4 aeromagnetic and Rank 5 aeroradiometric coverage. |
| Favorable rocks and structures |
Gold- and sulfide-bearing quartz veins associated with the Mississippian-aged(?) Almond Trondhjemite, which locally intrudes into the Neoproterozoic(?) to Lower Paleozoic graphitic metasedimentary rocks of the Wedowee Group; see for example, Brewer (1896); Adams (1930); Neathery (1968a); Simpson and Neathery (1980); Lesher and others (1989). |
| Deposits |
Cragford/Goldberg district-gold and/or sulfide mines/prospects: Amason, Benjamin property, Bradford Fraction, Bradford Ridge-Weaver, C. H. Mitchell, Cockrell, Coosa River News, Dawkins' property, Farrar-Wallace, Fetner, Goldberg Mining Company mine, Grey Goose, Grizzell property, H. S. Bradley land, J .D. Carter, J. D. Walker, Knight's Mill, L. D. Walker, Lashley property, Manning placer, Morris property, Number Two, Old Copper mine, Pine Hill, Teakle, Turner, W. D. Mitchell No. 1, W. D. Mitchell No. 2, Wild Cat Hollow, Worthy-Walker. |
| Evidence from mineral occurrences |
MRDS; Geological Survey of Alabama's FY19 NGGDPP-Priority 3 critical minerals database. |
| Geochemical evidence |
A reported cation determination of arsenopyrite and galena from the Cragford district indicates: 4.92–30.29% Fe, 26.50–40.50% As, 0.08–0.19% Sb, 0.002–0.018% Co, 0.002–0.034% N, 7.70–77.38% Pb, trace–0.075 Au, 0.07–21.79% Zn, and up to 0.033% Cd (Neathery, 1968a). |
| Geophysical evidence |
Inadequate aeromagnetic/radiometric data (aeromagnetic data rank 4; radiometric rank 5). |
| Evidence from other sources |
Unknown. |
| Comments |
Past producer in areas that might be mined again. Geophysical data are likely to be helpful in determining the extent of the source rocks. Geochemical analyses likely to be very helpful. Detailed surficial and bedrock geologic mapping available. |
| Cover thickness and description |
Exposed bedrock to thin cover. |
| Authors |
Nora K. Foley, J. Wright Horton Jr., Bernard E. Hubbard, Dane S. VanDervoort, John P. Whitmore. |
| New data needs |
Geophysical data and geochemical analyses. |
| Geologic mapping and modeling needs |
Geochemical analyses to assess the resource quality/grade of copper- and gold-bearing quartz veins. |
| Geophysical survey and modeling needs |
High resolution aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric coverage. Geophysical surveys may help delineate the contact of gold- and sulfide-bearing quartz veins with the surrounding country rock. Aeromagnetic data may image associated structures and possibly alteration zones. Radiometric data can help with geologic mapping in vegetated terrane. Electromagnetic data may assist with imaging sulfides. |
| Digital elevation data needs |
QL2 lidar coverage complete over prospective area. |
