Zirconia Pegmatite Mining District

Region East, Southeast
States
Mineral systems
Deposit types
Commodities
Critical minerals
Other minerals

Information leading to the delineation of this focus area

Basis for focus area Focus area surrounds small district of pegmatites contain cm-sized zircon. Pegmatites up to 20-30 m thick intruded Tallulah Falls Formation metagraywacke, Poor Mountain Formation amphibolite, and Table Rock Granite in the Six Mile thrust. Several mines have past production: Freeman Zircon Mine, Jones Zircon Mine, Lake Summit, Pace Zircon Mine, Zirconia Mine.
Identified resources Historical production of zirconium.
Production Unknown.
Status Past mining; new mining scheduled for 2021.
Estimated resources Unknown.
Geologic maps Hadley and Nelson (1971), scale 1:250,000; Merschat (2009), scale 1:24,000; Garihan and Ranson (2008), scale 1:24,000.
Geophysical data Inadequate Rank 5 aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric coverage.
Favorable rocks and structures Pegmatites contain cm-sized zircon.
Deposits Freeman zircon mine (MRDS dep_id: 10026273), Jones zircon mine (MRDS dep_id: 10026274), Lake Summit (MRDS dep_id: 10093341), Pace zircon mine (MRDS dep_id: 10026275), Zirconia mine.
Evidence from mineral occurrences MRDS; Olson (1952); Bream (2003); Callahan and others (2007).
Geochemical evidence See Olson (1952), Callahan and others (2007), Bream (2003).
Geophysical evidence Unknown.
Evidence from other sources Unknown.
Cover thickness and description Cover less than 10 m; abandoned mines may need to have water drained or fill removed.
Authors Arthur J. Merschat, Bernard E. Hubbard.
New data needs Geologic mapping, geophysics.
Geologic mapping and modeling needs Detail mapping of pegmatite bodies.
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.