RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Big Generostee Creek
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 1 other site(s), so we broke the tie by mine status (past producers first), then USGS record quality, then name. USGS lists it as unknown for Thorium, Titanium, Zirconium. Minerals mentioned: Quartz, Garnet, Magnetite. Approx. location 34.400, -82.767. 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?
Produced ore or material at some point in the past.
Explored or test-dug, with no recorded production.
Status not recorded.
The mineral was noted here, without development.
Was producing when the record was made.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Mica
Mohs 2–3. Peels into thin, flexible, shiny sheets. Mindat
24 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
7 sites
Feldspar
Mohs 6–6.5. Blocky crystals with flat cleavage faces. Mindat
6 sites
Garnet
Mohs 6.5–7.5. Usually deep red, round many-faced crystals. Mindat
2 sites
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
2 sites
Magnetite
Mohs 5.5–6.5. Black and strongly magnetic. Mindat
2 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
Minerals recorded here
Muscovite 5Monazite 2Zircon 2Rutile 2Ilmenite 2Titanite 1Iron 1Gold 1Commodities
Mica 23Titanium 4Iron 2Thorium 2Zirconium 2Gold 2Feldspar 1Sand 1Kyanite 1Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson Prospect | Gold | Gold | Past Producer | 34.690, -82.558 |
| Big Mountain Creek | Thorium, Titanium, Zirconium | Monazite, Zircon, Rutile, Ilmenite | Unknown | 34.400, -82.767 |
| Big Generostee Creek | Thorium, Titanium, Zirconium | Monazite, Zircon, Rutile, Ilmenite | Unknown | 34.400, -82.767 |
| Wharton Mine | Mica | Muscovite | Past Producer | 34.292, -82.750 |
| Gaillard Mine | Mica | Muscovite | Past Producer | 34.358, -82.802 |
| Burgess Mine | Mica | Muscovite | Past Producer | 34.655, -82.640 |
| Sherard Mine | Mica | Muscovite | Past Producer | 34.282, -82.755 |
| Ben Martin Mine | Mica | Muscovite | Past Producer | 34.290, -82.771 |
| Smith | Iron, Titanium | Titanite, Iron | Unknown | 34.583, -82.667 |
| Beaver Creek | Titanium, Iron | — | Unknown | 34.467, -82.617 |
| Henderson Prospect | Gold | — | Prospect | 34.746, -82.569 |
| Burgess Mine | Mica | — | Past Producer | 34.656, -82.640 |
| Todd Prospect | Feldspar | — | Prospect | 34.294, -82.612 |
| Gaillard Mine | Mica | — | Past Producer | 34.350, -82.797 |
| Welborn Prospect | Mica | — | Prospect | 34.504, -82.417 |
| Bell Prospect | Mica | — | Prospect | 34.273, -82.720 |
| Terry Prospect | Mica | — | Prospect | 34.337, -82.782 |
| Mcmurtley Deposit | Mica | — | Occurrence | 34.654, -82.701 |
| McKee Prospect | Mica | — | Prospect | 34.286, -82.715 |
| Fretwell North Prospect | Mica | — | Prospect | 34.345, -82.794 |
| Wharton Mine | Mica | — | Past Producer | 34.310, -82.764 |
| Keown Mine | Mica | — | Prospect | 34.260, -82.692 |
| Cliff Webb Prospect | Mica | — | Prospect | 34.528, -82.581 |
| Mcconnell Prospect | Mica | — | Prospect | 34.553, -82.671 |
| D J Tucker Deposit | Mica | — | Occurrence | 34.610, -82.572 |
| Patton Mine | Mica | — | Past Producer | 34.548, -82.431 |
| Fretwell South Prospect | Mica | — | Prospect | 34.267, -82.705 |
| Sherard Mine | Mica | — | Past Producer | 34.312, -82.765 |
| J A Jones Prospect | Mica | — | Prospect | 34.500, -82.650 |
| Ben Martin Mine | Mica | — | Past Producer | 34.267, -82.746 |
| River Road Plant | Sand | — | Producer | 34.712, -82.459 |
| Piedmont Kyn Belt | Kyanite | — | Occurrence | 34.500, -82.500 |
Nearby counties
Abbeville County · Pickens County · Oconee County · Greenville County · Greenwood 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