RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Elk Knob Mine
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 2 gem or collectible minerals (Garnet, Gold) and 5 of our card minerals overall. No other named site here scores as high on both counts. USGS lists it as past producer for Copper. Minerals mentioned: Garnet, Gold, Feldspar, Pyrite, Copper. Approx. location 36.338, -81.678. USGS record.
Ask first: a USGS record doesn’t mean you can visit. Find out who owns the land and get permission before collecting.
Field cards: what kind of sites?
Explored or test-dug, with no recorded production.
Produced ore or material at some point in the past.
The mineral was noted here, without development.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Copper
Mohs 2.5–3. Native copper is soft and turns green as it weathers. Mindat
6 sites
Magnetite
Mohs 5.5–6.5. Black and strongly magnetic. Mindat
4 sites
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
2 sites
Silver
Mohs 2.5–3. Native silver tarnishes black. Mindat
2 sites
Beryl
Mohs 7.5–8. Six-sided crystals; aquamarine and emerald are beryl. Mindat
1 site
Garnet
Mohs 6.5–7.5. Usually deep red, round many-faced crystals. Mindat
1 site
Feldspar
Mohs 6–6.5. Blocky crystals with flat cleavage faces. Mindat
1 site
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
1 site
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
Minerals recorded here
Hematite 4Magnetite 4Aegirine 4Chalcopyrite 1Pyrite 1Pyrrhotite 1Sphalerite 1Beryl 1Pyromorphite 1Commodities
Copper 5Iron 3Granite 2Lead 2Silver 1Tungsten 1Beryllium 1Gold 1Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckeye Creek Prospect | Lead, Silver, Tungsten, Beryllium, Copper | Beryl, Pyromorphite | Occurrence | 36.231, -81.903 |
| Elk Knob Mine | Copper | Chalcopyrite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 36.338, -81.678 |
| Unnamed Iron Prospect | — | Hematite, Magnetite, Aegirine | Prospect | 36.316, -81.809 |
| Unnamed Iron Prospect | — | Hematite, Magnetite, Aegirine | Prospect | 36.316, -81.809 |
| Unnamed Iron Prospect | — | Hematite, Magnetite, Aegirine | Prospect | 36.315, -81.810 |
| Unnamed Iron Prospect | — | Hematite, Magnetite, Aegirine | Prospect | 36.317, -81.808 |
| Hodges Gap Quarry | Granite | — | Past Producer | 36.203, -81.700 |
| Bamboo Road Quarry | Granite | — | Past Producer | 36.217, -81.633 |
| Iron Prospect | Iron | — | Prospect | 36.241, -81.882 |
| Buckeye Creek Silver Prospect | Lead | — | Prospect | 36.231, -81.903 |
| Iron Prospect | Iron | — | Prospect | 36.243, -81.885 |
| Gold Prospect | Gold | — | Prospect | 36.131, -81.801 |
| Iron Prospect | Iron | — | Prospect | 36.249, -81.891 |
| Elk Knob Prospect | Copper | — | Prospect | 36.364, -81.673 |
| Copper Prospect | Copper | — | Prospect | 36.176, -81.147 |
| Copper Prospect | Copper | — | Prospect | 36.166, -81.829 |
Nearby counties
Avery County · Mitchell County · Ashe County · Caldwell County · Yancey County
North Carolina mineral guides
- Beryl in North Carolina
- Tourmaline in North Carolina
- Quartz in North Carolina
- Garnet in North Carolina
- Gold in North Carolina
- Mica in North Carolina
Back to all North Carolina counties.
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