RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Lyons Mine
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 2 gem or collectible minerals (Quartz, Gold) and 2 of our card minerals overall. No other named site here scores as high on both counts. USGS lists it as unknown for Gold. Minerals mentioned: Quartz, Gold. Approx. location 34.069, -82.370. 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?
Status not recorded.
Produced ore or material at some point in the past.
Explored or test-dug, with no recorded production.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
9 sites
Mica
Mohs 2–3. Peels into thin, flexible, shiny sheets. Mindat
4 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
4 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
3 sites
Feldspar
Mohs 6–6.5. Blocky crystals with flat cleavage faces. Mindat
2 sites
Magnetite
Mohs 5.5–6.5. Black and strongly magnetic. Mindat
2 sites
Copper
Mohs 2.5–3. Native copper is soft and turns green as it weathers. Mindat
2 sites
Beryl
Mohs 7.5–8. Six-sided crystals; aquamarine and emerald are beryl. Mindat
1 site
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
Minerals recorded here
Pyrite 2Muscovite 2Magnetite 1Ilmenite 1Gold 1Chalcopyrite 1Quartz 1Pyrophyllite 1Andalusite 1Commodities
Gold 9Mica 4Iron 2Copper 2Titanium 1Pyrophyllite 1Andalusite 1Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saluda Mine | Copper | Chalcopyrite | Past Producer | 34.395, -82.335 |
| Calais and Douglas Mine | Gold | Gold | Past Producer | 34.067, -82.439 |
| Calhoun Falls | Titanium, Iron | Magnetite, Ilmenite | Unknown | 34.100, -82.567 |
| Clenkscales Prospect | Mica | Muscovite | Unknown | 34.300, -82.590 |
| Rocky River Mine | Mica | Muscovite | Unknown | 34.293, -82.591 |
| Jones Mine | Gold | Pyrite | Unknown | 34.099, -82.345 |
| Cook Prospect | Gold | Pyrite | Unknown | 34.180, -82.700 |
| Parsons Mountain Pyrophyllite Prospect | Pyrophyllite | Pyrophyllite, Andalusite | Unknown | 34.083, -82.362 |
| Lyons Mine | Gold | Quartz | Unknown | 34.069, -82.370 |
| Civil War Mine | Gold | — | Past Producer | 34.087, -82.362 |
| Brown Prospects | Mica | — | Prospect | 34.301, -82.594 |
| Vandiver & Cooke Scott Prospects | Mica | — | Prospect | 34.288, -82.611 |
| Saluda Mine | Copper, Iron | — | Prospect | 34.394, -82.331 |
| Cook Prospect | Gold | — | Prospect | 34.182, -82.689 |
| Jones Mine | Gold | — | Past Producer | 34.103, -82.340 |
| Lyon Prospect | Gold | — | Prospect | 34.069, -82.368 |
| Calais and Douglas Mine | Gold | — | Past Producer | 34.064, -82.403 |
Nearby counties
Greenwood County · McCormick County · Edgefield County · Anderson County · Saluda County
South Carolina mineral guides
- Tourmaline in South Carolina
- Quartz in South Carolina
- Garnet in South Carolina
- Gold in South Carolina
- Mica in South Carolina
- Feldspar in South Carolina
Back to all South 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