Found alongside
Magnetite
Mohs 5.5–6.5. Black and strongly magnetic. Mindat
39 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
18 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
16 sites
Copper
Mohs 2.5–3. Native copper is soft and turns green as it weathers. Mindat
14 sites
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
12 sites
Silver
Mohs 2.5–3. Native silver tarnishes black. Mindat
10 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
By county
Carter County (22) · Polk County (14) · Monroe County (2) · Sullivan County (1)
Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copperhill Mine | Copper, Iron, Zinc | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Magnetite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Silver, Sphalerite | Producer | 35.032, -84.366 |
| Isabella Mine | Copper, Iron, Sulfur, Lead | Chalcopyrite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 35.034, -84.363 |
| Old Polk County | Iron | Chalcopyrite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 35.007, -84.382 |
| Calloway Mine | Zinc, Iron, Copper | Chalcopyrite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 35.013, -84.373 |
| Mary | Iron | Chalcopyrite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 35.012, -84.380 |
| East Tennessee Mine | Sulfur, Copper, Iron | Chalcopyrite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Producer | 35.045, -84.351 |
| Eureka Mine | Iron, Copper, Sulfur, Lead | Chalcopyrite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Producer | 35.032, -84.365 |
| Boyd Mine | Iron, Zinc, Copper | Chalcopyrite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 35.026, -84.379 |
| London Mine | Copper, Iron, Sulfur | Chalcopyrite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 35.038, -84.373 |
| Burra Burra Mine | — | Chalcopyrite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 35.035, -84.379 |
| El Tigre Mine | Gold | Gold | Occurrence | 35.260, -84.250 |
| Lost River Mine | Gold | Gold | Producer | 35.268, -84.260 |
| Black Bear Hematitic Magnetite Prospect | — | Hematite, Magnetite | Occurrence | 36.281, -82.022 |
| Miller Magnetite Prospect | — | Hematite, Magnetite | Occurrence | 36.272, -82.040 |
| Lunsford Hematitic Magnetite Prospect | — | Hematite, Magnetite | Occurrence | 36.256, -82.020 |
| Thomas Iron Bank | Iron | Hematite, Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.558, -82.099 |
| Mays Ridge Hematitic Magnetite Prospect | — | Hematite, Magnetite | Occurrence | 36.274, -82.013 |
| Rabbit Station Hematitic Magnetite Prospect | — | Hematite, Magnetite | Occurrence | 36.280, -82.020 |
| Ellis Magnetite Mine | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.179, -82.045 |
| Chestnut Ridge Magnetite Prospects | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.153, -82.160 |
| Campbell Magnetite Prospect | Iron | Magnetite | Occurrence | 36.292, -82.126 |
| Old Forge Magnetite Mine | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.150, -82.083 |
| Horse Shoe Magnetite Prospect | Iron | Magnetite | Occurrence | 36.174, -82.100 |
| Heupscup Ridge Magnetite Prospects | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.179, -82.053 |
| Peg Leg Magnetite Mine | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.182, -82.071 |
| Teegarden Magnetite Mine | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.210, -88.822 |
| Wilder Magnetite Mine | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.171, -82.012 |
| Ellis/Patrick/Red Rock Mines | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.177, -82.035 |
| Red Rock Magnetite Mine | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.175, -82.024 |
| Greenlee and Ray and Tester Magnetite Mine | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.170, -82.013 |
| Wilder Mine | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.171, -82.178 |
| Peg Leg Mine | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.182, -82.071 |
| Old Forge Magnetite Mine | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.150, -82.083 |
| Patrick Magnetite Mine | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.177, -82.035 |
| Julian Magnetite Prospect | Iron | Magnetite | Past Producer | 36.168, -82.079 |
| Cherokee Mine | Copper, Iron, Zinc | — | Past Producer | 35.009, -84.394 |
| South Pit | Zinc, Copper | — | Past Producer | 35.009, -84.397 |
| North Pit | Zinc, Copper | — | Past Producer | 35.012, -84.395 |
| Eureka Mine | Zinc, Copper | — | Past Producer | 35.032, -84.366 |
Back to Rockhounding in Tennessee.
How we built this page: we counted named sites in the USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) for this area, left out sand, gravel, crushed stone, clay pits and unnamed sites, grouped them by Census county, and linked every site to its USGS record. We did not visit these sites, and MRDS does not tell you who owns the land or whether collecting is allowed.
Source: USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS). USGS ceased systematic updates to MRDS around 2011, so status and details may be out of date. Each site links to its USGS record.
Updated