North Carolina pegmatite zone

Region East, Southeast
States
Mineral systems
Deposit types
Other minerals

Information leading to the delineation of this focus area

Basis for focus area Smaller pegmatite bodies based on known occurrences in Grenville-aged basement gneisses.
Identified resources Historical production of gemstones.
Production Minor production.
Status Past mining.
Estimated resources Unknown.
Geologic maps Horton and others (2017), scale 1:500,000.
Geophysical data Inadequate Rank 3 aeromagnetic coverage for 70% of focus area, 30% Rank 5; Rank 5 aeroradiometric coverage.
Favorable rocks and structures Pegmatitic deposits.
Deposits Ledford allanite prospect (MRDS dep_id: 10095000), Odell allanite prospect (MRDS dep_id: 10026272), Mars Hill deposit (MRDS dep_id: 10026480).
Evidence from mineral occurrences MRDS.
Geochemical evidence Elevated REE.
Geophysical evidence Surrounding rocks show elevated eTh.
Evidence from other sources Unknown.
Comments Known producer but limited spatial extent. Benefit of geophysical surveys not known. Spruce Pine mining district focus area is a subset of this polygon.
Cover thickness and description Cover less than 100 m?
Authors Arthur J. Merschat, Anjana K. Shah, Bernard E. Hubbard.
New data needs Geologic mapping.
Geologic mapping and modeling needs Geologic mapping of pegmatites.
Geophysical survey and modeling needs High resolution aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric coverage to help with framework geology: Aeromagnetic data may image mafic rocks, 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 Lidar complete.