Gold in North Carolina

INFORMATION AVAILABLE The North Carolina Geological Survey sells publications on gold in North Carolina. For information on publica¬ tions and prices, please contact us at the address below. Many of the North Carolina publications written about gold in the late 1800's and early 1900's contain valuable information, but are now out-of-print. Bulletin 3, Gold Deposits of North Carolina; Bulletin 10, Gold Mining in North Carolina and Adjacent South Appalachian Regions ; and Bulletin 38, Gold Deposits in North Carolina, are especially useful.These publications are on file in the Raleigh office of the North Carolina Geological Survey, and are also available in many university libraries. Public libraries can obtain the publications through inter-library loan. A complete list of these publications, as-well-as many others concerning geology, is available from this office.' U. S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 213, Gold De¬ posits of the Southern Piedmont, is a good source of information, but is also out-of-print. The U. S. Geological Survey distributes several pamphlets on gold prospect- mg. These pamphlets are available from the Books and Open-File Reports Section, U. S. Geological Survey, Fed¬ eral Center, Box 25425, Denver, Colorado 80225. 'Many oook stores and rock and mineral dealers sell books on gold panning and prospecting. Topographic maps provide useful information in locating good panning sites by showing stream meanders and the locations of rapids. These maps and map indexes are available from Map Distribution, U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Box 25286, Denver, Colorado 80225. To¬ pographic maps are also available from various map dealers across the state. A complete list of publications is available from the North Carolina Geological Survey, Post Office Box 27687, Raleigh, North Carolina 27611, telephone (919) 733-2423. All orders require prepayment, and checks should be made payable to the North Carolina Geological Survey. North Carolina residents please add 6% sales tax. STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA JAMES B. HUNT, JR., GOVERNOR DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH, AND NATURAL RESOURCES JONATHAN B. HOWES. SECRETARY 12,000 COPIES OF THIS PUBLIC DOCUMENT WERE PRINTED AT A COST OF S4I6.00, OR .0346 PER COPY. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER. GOLD IN NORTH CAROLINA Gold has been an important part of North Carolina's history since 1799, the date of the first authenticated discovery of gold in North America. North Carolina was the nation's only gold producing state from 1803 until 1828, and continued as a leading producer until 1849 when gold was discovered in California. Production continued sporadically in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but since that time gold output has been minor. The last major production was from 1954 to 1963 as a byproduct of copper mining in the Blue Ridge. In response to the rise in gold prices since the mid-1970's, interest in North Carolina gold has been renewed. Interest is particularly high around the once-active mining areas, but exploration to find new deposits is also underway. Numerous mining companies currently have exploration programs in the state. Amateur prospectors are also showing increased interest in prospecting and panning as a hobby or recreational activity. It is difficult to find large amounts of gold in stream sediments, but the possibility of finding even a little "color" in a gold pan is hard to resist. The following information should answer the most common questions about gold and serve as a guide to gold panning and prospecting in North Carolina. Removing overburden at the Portis Mine, Franklin Co., 1935. (NCCS Bulletin 38.1 HOW TO IDENTIFY GOLD If you aren't sure it' s gold, it probably isn't! Pyrite and yellow-colored mica are frequently mistaken for gold, but can easily be distinguished. Gold is very soft (2J5-3 on Mohs scale of hardness) and can be hammered into thin sheets without shattering. It is heavy (specific gravity of 19.3 when pure) and is insoluble in all acids except aqua regia (a mixture of hydro-chloric and nitric acids). Pyrite is harder than gold (6-6.5 on Mohs scale) and is brittle. When struck with a hammer, it shatters. It is also relatively light (specific gravity of 5.02). Pyrite frequently forms small cubes. Mica, on the other hand, is as soft as gold (hardness 2-2.5), but naturally occurs in thin sheets or flakes which can be split into individual sheets. It is lighter than gold (specific gravity of 2.76-3.1) and can be smeared out with a fingernail or a sharp object.