RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Aiken County Deposit
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 2 gem or collectible minerals (Quartz, Garnet) and 3 of our card minerals overall. That ties with 2 other site(s), so we broke the tie by mine status (past producers first), then USGS record quality, then name. USGS lists it as past producer for REE. Minerals mentioned: Quartz, Garnet, Magnetite. Approx. location 33.438, -81.860. 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.
Was producing when the record was made.
The mineral was noted here, without development.
Produced ore or material at some point in the past.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Magnetite
Mohs 5.5–6.5. Black and strongly magnetic. Mindat
4 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
3 sites
Garnet
Mohs 6.5–7.5. Usually deep red, round many-faced crystals. Mindat
3 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
Minerals recorded here
Monazite 3Zircon 3Rutile 3Ilmenite 3Commodities
Kaolin 8Titanium 4Zirconium 4REE 4Thorium 3Sand 1Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollow Creek | Thorium, Titanium, Zirconium | Monazite, Zircon, Rutile, Ilmenite | Unknown | 33.350, -81.850 |
| Town Creek | Thorium, Titanium, Zirconium | Monazite, Zircon, Rutile, Ilmenite | Unknown | 33.350, -81.850 |
| Horse Creek | Titanium, Zirconium | Monazite, Zircon, Rutile, Ilmenite | Unknown | 33.494, -81.894 |
| Bell Kaolin Mine | Kaolin | — | Producer | 33.750, -81.492 |
| Graniteville Mine | Kaolin | — | Producer | 33.552, -81.854 |
| Hollow Creek | REE | — | Occurrence | 33.373, -81.805 |
| Aiken County Deposit | REE | — | Past Producer | 33.438, -81.860 |
| Edisto Mine | Kaolin | — | Producer | 33.654, -81.565 |
| Town Creek | REE | — | Occurrence | 33.398, -81.811 |
| Rodgers-Younce Mine | Kaolin | — | Unknown | 33.550, -81.717 |
| Aiken Mine | Kaolin | — | Producer | 33.550, -81.717 |
| Barden Mine | Kaolin | — | Unknown | 33.567, -81.800 |
| Langley Mine | Kaolin | — | Producer | 33.496, -81.835 |
| Silver Bluff | — | — | Occurrence | 33.312, -81.855 |
| Horse Creek | — | — | Past Producer | 33.485, -81.898 |
| Aiken Mine | Sand | — | Unknown | 33.747, -81.433 |
| Aiken Kaolin District | Kaolin | — | Producer | 33.490, -81.849 |
Fossil collections
The Paleobiology Database lists 12 fossil collection records in Aiken County. These are research records, not public dig sites.
Nearby counties
Edgefield County · McCormick County · Saluda County · Greenwood County · Lexington 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