Feldspar

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html
Feldspar
Introduction
Feldspar is the most common rock-forming mineral (about 60% of the earths crust)
(Kauffman and Van Dyk, 1994). The mineral name feldspar is derived from the German
words feld + spar. The word "feld" is "field" in German and "spar" is a term for light colored
minerals that break with a smooth surface. Feldspar minerals are usually white or very light
in color, have a hardness of 6 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness and perfect to good cleavage
(plane of breakage) in two directions.
Feldspar is a common name that applies to a group of minerals with a general chemical
formula of x Al(Al,Si)3O8, where x can be sodium (Na) and/or calcium (Ca) and/or potassium
(K). (Specific compositional varieties (i.e. albite, microcline) are discussed under Mineral
Descriptions).
Feldspar occurs in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks and thus can be found
throughout North Carolina. It is more commonly found in igneous and metamorphic rocks of
the Blue Ridge and Piedmont provinces. Feldspar weathers to kaolin which is the main clay
mineral used in ceramics and fine pottery.
History and production
The history of feldspar production is directly tied to the history of mica production and past
mining of kaolin in the Blue Ridge since they are associated minerals. In accounts from 1875
and 1876, geologists reported finding evidence of old mica mining. They noted numerous
prospect pits dotting the hillsides, some of which were very extensive in size with trees three
feet or more in diameter rooted on large spoil mounds next to the pits. Native Americans
could have worked these mines for mica for ornaments and/or for kaolin, a weathering
product of feldspar. Early known production extends back to the 18th century when it was
said the Cherokee Indians mined and sold partially kaolinized feldspar prior to 1744 (Watts,
1913; Stuckey, 1965), presumably for shipment to England for ceramic use.
Feldspar was first mined along with kaolin (weathered feldspar) in an area near Sylva in
Jackson County in the late 1800s. First recorded modern mining in the Spruce Pine Mining
District of Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties was in 1868 when feldspar ore was shipped
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Feldspar http://www.geology.enr.state.nc.us/Mineral resources/feldmod.html
from the Deer Park mine. The raw material had to be shipped to grinding mills located in
Ohio and New Jersey. In 1914, a grinding mill was built in Erwin, Tennessee, which led to
the opening of more mines. Since 1917, North Carolina has been the leading producer of
feldspar in the United States.
The initial production of feldspar was from pegmatite bodies. Pegmatites are bodies of rock
commonly of granitic composition that consist mainly of unusually large crystals or masses
of quartz, feldspar, and mica. Pegmatites crystallize during the last stages of injection of
granitic magma. The magmatic fluids are rich in water and cool so slowly that the crystals
grow larger than usual. The grain size can range from less than an inch to more than a foot
but rarely greater than three feet. Pegmatites range in size from small lens, one to a few feet
in thickness, to large tabular bodies tens of feet thick and hundreds of feet long.
Past production came from the larger pegmatites. Mining was labor intensive. Ore was hand
cobbed (hand-size pieces are broken by hammer) and sorted by hand.
In 1946, the US Bureau of Mines (USBM) developed a new mineral dressing technique to
process mica and feldspar ore by froth flotation (floating a specific mineral on foam to
separate it from other minerals). In addition to the USBM work, North Carolina State
Universitys Minerals Research Laboratory at Asheville and the feldspar industry continued
to refine the technique on the ore of the district. This breakthrough turned attention away
from the pegmatites and focused exploration and mining on the much larger, more uniform
alaskite bodies.
The Spruce Pine alaskite is a light colored, medium- to coarse-grained feldspar-quartz-

muscovite rock. Alaskite bodies can occur in masses up to several miles in diameter. The
average mineral composition of the alaskites is oligoclase feldspar (40%), quartz (25%),
microcline feldspar (20%), and muscovite mica (15%). Alaskite also contains minor
accessory minerals such as biotite, garnet, epidote, apatite and pyrite (Lesure, 1968; Wiener
and Merschat, 1977). In the Spruce Pine district, pegmatites are closely associated with the
alaskite bodies and are thought to have crystallized from fluids derived from the alaskite
masses in the final stages of crystallization of these igneous bodies.
North Carolina produced 54% of the total US feldspar (feldspar rock and feldspathic sand)
production (Potter, 1996; Potter, 1997). Of the feldspar rock produced, North Carolina
produced 96% (Alex Glover, 1999, pers. com.). Most feldspar in North Carolina is produced
from alaskite bodies in the Spruce Pine Mining District in Mitchell County. The district is
about 250 square miles in area 10 miles wide and 25 miles long.
Feldspar is currently produced as a by-product of mining mica from pegmatites and other
rocks associated with the Cherryville quartz monzonite rock (a type of granitic rock) in
Cleveland County. Until recently, feldspar was also recovered from the Kings Mountain
district in Cleveland and Gaston counties as a by-product of mining spodumene (source of
lithium) from pegmatites.
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Map of Feldspar Resources - North Carolina
Map of Feldspar Occurrences - Spruce Pine District
Potential resources. The production of feldspar in North Carolina comes from the Spruce
Pine District. In order to separate feldspar from quartz, hydrofluoric acid is used. Some
fluoride is discharged into the North Toe River. Existing operations cannot increase
production because government regulations have put a limit on the amount of fluoride in
stream water. In order to expand, the feldspar industry must look outside the Spruce Pine
District for new feldspar resources (Carpenter, Schlanz and Carpenter, 1995).
Feldspar occurs in numerous granitic rocks, located particularly in the central portion of the
state. In the late sixties and early seventies, the NCSU Minerals Research Laboratory at
Asheville and the Division of Mineral Resources undertook an evaluation of feldspar
resources in the state. Of the 218 samples evaluated, 55 samples (25%) had potential for
further tests as a feldspar resource (Neal and others, 1973).
In 1995, tests on several granitic plutons (igneous rock formed below the earth's surface)
indicated that the Churchland pluton and the Rolesville granite in the Raleigh Belt contain
high concentrations of potassium (K) feldspar (Carpenter, Schlanz and Carpenter, 1995).
The Churchland pluton is located in central North Carolina in northern Rowan, Davie,
Davidson, Guilford and Caswell counties, and the Rolesville granite is in Wake and Franklin
counties.
Uses
Feldspar is used in the manufacture of glass products (70%), in ceramics and other products
(30%) (Potter, 1996).
Feldspar is an important ingredient in the manufacture of glass. The raw material for glass
consists of silica sand, soda ash (sodium carbonate) and limestone (calcium carbonate).
Feldspar adds certain qualities to the process. Alumina provides hardness, workability,
strength, and makes glass more resistant to chemicals. NaO2 and K2O from feldspar are
fluxes. Fluxes reduce the melting temperature so less energy is used and decrease the
amount of soda ash needed (Kauffman and Van Dyk, 1994; Bourne, 1994). About 110
pounds of feldspar are used to produce one ton of container glass (soda bottles, e.g.), and
100 pounds are required to produce one ton of flat glass (Alex Glover, 1999, pers. com).
Thirty percent (30%) of feldspar production is used for manufacturing ceramics, especially in
commodes and sinks. Italy produces twice the amount of feldspar than the US. In Italy, the
majority of feldspar production is for ceramic tile. European houses have ceramic tile flooring
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as opposed to our usage of wall-to-wall carpeting. Should the use of ceramic tile flooring
increase in the US, the demand for feldspar would greatly increase.
In the fabrication of ceramic material, feldspar serves as a flux to form a glassy phase at low
temperatures, and as a source of alkalies and alumina in glazes. It improves the strength,
toughness, and durability of the ceramic body and cements the crystalline phase of other
ingredients. Feldspar is also used in paint, in mild abrasives, urethane, latex foam, and as a
welding rod coating.
Mineral properties
Feldspar is the most common rock-forming mineral. Feldspar is a name for a group of
minerals with a general chemical formula of x Al(Al,Si)3O8, where x can be one or more
elements. Feldspar minerals are usually white or very light in color and have a hardness of 6
on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. Another physical property of the feldspar group is that the
mineral has good cleavage in two directions. The cleavage breaks are about 86o for
plagioclase feldspars (albite, oligoclase, andesine, labradorite and anorthite), at 90o for
orthoclase and 89.5o for microcline. Upon weathering, feldspar minerals break down to form
kaolinite, a clay mineral.
MINERAL DESCRIPTIONS AND SITES
Feldspar minerals can be subdivided into two groups - plagioclase feldspars, and potassium
feldspars. Plagioclase feldspars are sodium / calcium aluminum silicates. The plagioclase
feldspar series is:
albite (moonstone) (sodium rich),

oligoclase,
andesine,
labradorite, and
anorthite (calcium rich).
Potassium feldspars are potassium aluminum silicates. The most common K (potassium)
feldspars are microcline (amazonite, moonstone) and orthoclase.
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The following mineral descriptions are taken from Cook (1978), Dana (1952) and Paris
(1994).
In the Spruce Pine District of Mitchell, Avery and Yancey counties there are more than 700
mines listed that produced feldspar and/or mica in the past. There are probably two to three
times as many prospects or borrow pits in the area (Lesure, 1968). Listed below, under the
mineral descriptions, are a few collecting sites that are easy to get to in these counties.
Map of Feldspar Mineral Occurrences
Albite (moonstone)
Chemical Composition: (Na,Ca)AlSi3O8
Sodium, calcium (0 to 10%) aluminum silicate
Class: Silicate
Crystallography: Triclinic; pinacoidal
Habit: Crystals commonly tabular. Usually massive, granular, lamellar. Twinning very
common.
Physical properties: Luster vitreous, sometimes pearly. Color white to colorless; occasionally
bluish, gray, reddish, greenish depending on impurities. May have opalescent colors
(moonstone). Streak white. Transparent to sub-transparent.
Cleavage {001} perfect, {010} nearly perfect, {110} imperfect. Cleavage angle at 86o.
Fracture uneven to conchoidal. Brittle. H. 6-6.5. S.G. 2.6-2.63.
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Occurrence: Albite is a very common mineral of the plagioclase group of feldspar.
Mineral localities and descriptions of localities are from Wilson and McKenzie (1978) and
Conley (1958). These locations have not been field checked for accuracy, minerals present
or for accessibility. With the help of mineral collectors, it is hoped that the occurrences below
can be verified and then classified as mineral collecting sites.
Click for an explanation of "Headings in the Mineral Occurrence and Site Index" which are in
the Mineral Occurrence Index.
The site code (e.g., AVERY-002) refers to the site reference in the Mineral Occurrence
Index.
Avery County: The May-Meade (Maymeade) quarry (closed) along with epidote, chlorite,
tremolite, calcite, thulite, azurite, malachite, and green quartz crystals (AVERY-003).
Caswell County: Albite has been found in the pegmatite deposits south of Milton near Yarbro
(CASWE-001).
Cleveland County: High-quality moonstone has been found in several creeks in the west
central portion of the county (CLEVE-001, CLEVE-002, CLEVE-003). Albite occurs at the
Foote Mineral Company spodumene (lithium) mine (inactive) near Kings Mountain
(CLEVE-013). This mine is closed to mineral collecting.
Davie County: Fine-grained albite is associated with hornblende in an orbicular diorite rock
in the south central portion of the county (DAVIE-003). The rock contains circular blebs of
hornblende surrounded by fine white albite. It was once used as an ornamental stone.
Mitchell County: Rare, doubly terminated albite crystals in a pegmatite dike are on private
property, 1.5 miles northeast of Bakersville (MITCH-004).
Mineral Collecting Sites
Mitchell County: The Spruce Pine Mining District is the chief mica and feldspar producing
area in the United States.
Feldspar, plagioclase, quartz and mica (muscovite) occur at the McKinney mine (collecting
fee charged) (MITCH-015). Other accessory minerals that occur are samarskite, garnet,
autunite, torbernite, columbite, hyalite, amazonite, bornite, covellite, chalcopyrite, allanite,
epidote, malachite, sphalerite and massive beryl.
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To get to the mine, take Highway 19-E west from Estatoe; at 1.3 miles turn left (south) on SR
1002; at approximately 4.8 miles turn onto SR 1100. The mine is on both sides of the road
(now Emerald Village and the North Carolina Mining Museum).
Feldspar, plagioclase, perthite, quartz and muscovite mica can be found at the Hootowl mine
(abandoned) (MITCH-017). This mine can be reached by taking Highway 19-E west from
Estatoe; at 0.37 mile turn left (south) on SR 1157; at 0.4 mile take the right fork; at
approximately 0.9 mile mark the state road ends and a private road begins. The mine is on
the left (east) side of the road. The Hootowl is shown and labeled on the Micaville 7
minute topographic map.
Feldspar, plagioclase, quartz and muscovite mica, along with accessory minerals biotite,
garnet and tourmaline (rare) are reported from the Sinkhole mine (abandoned)
(MITCH-016). The mine can be reached by going 1.6 miles northwest SR 1191 from the
intersection of SR 1191 and NC Highway 226; turn left on Highway 80; at 2.3 miles the mine
is to the left just before SR 1182. This mine is shown on the Micaville 7 minute
topographic map.
Another collecting locale is at the Deer Park mine (abandoned) (MITCH-008) northwest of
Spruce Pine. Feldspar, perthite, plagioclase, quartz and mica can be found with accessory
minerals - thulite, hyalite and monazite. At the intersection of NC Highway 226 and SR 1162,
north of Spruce Pine, turn left (southwest) onto SR 1162 (Penland Road). Travel
approximately 1.6 miles to Penland and cross the bridge over the North Toe River. Turn
immediately left (east) onto SR 1270 for a very short distance. After state-maintained road
ends, continue on 4-wheel drive road that parallels the river to the mine area in bend of the
North Toe River approximately 0.7th of a mile. This mine is shown on the Spruce Pine 7
topographic map.
Oligoclase Plagioclase feldspar
Chemical Composition: (Na,Ca)AlSi3O8
Sodium, calcium (10 to 30%) aluminum silicate
Class: Silicate
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Habit: Crystals commonly tabular, uncommon. Usually massive, cleavable, granular, or

compact. Twinning common.
Physical properties: Luster vitreous. Colorless, white, gray, greenish, yellowish, brown,
reddish, depending on impurities; occasionally shows brilliant reflections from minute specks
of hematite giving it a golden shimmer (sunstone). Streak white. Transparent to translucent.
Cleavage {001} perfect, {010} nearly perfect, {110} imperfect. Cleavage angle at 86o.
Fracture conchoidal to uneven. Brittle. H. 6-6.5. S.G. 2.63-2.67.
Occurrence: Oligoclase occurs in the Spruce Pine District in western North Carolina and is a
very common mineral in granites and gneisses.
Index.
Jackson County: Oligoclase occurs at the L.M. McCall feldspar and mica mine (abandoned)
southeast of Pinhook Gap (JACKS-010).
Mitchell County: Glass clear oligoclase occurs at the Hawk mine located 1.2 miles north of
Hawk (MITCH-005).
Yancey County: The Spruce Pine Pegmatite District crosses eastern Yancey County east of
Burnsville. The Little Gibbs mine (abandoned) on the South Toe River, 1.5 miles northeast of
Celo, contains glass clear oligoclase feldspar, which can be cut into faceted gemstones.
Mitchell County: The Spruce Pine Mining District is one of the chief mica and feldspar
producing areas in the United States.
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Feldspar, plagioclase, quartz and mica (muscovite) occur at the McKinney mine (collecting
fee charged) (MITCH-015). Other accessory minerals that occur are samarskite, garnet,
autunite, torbernite, columbite, hyalite, amazonite, bornite, covellite, chalcopyrite, allanite,
epidote, malachite, sphalerite and massive beryl.
Feldspar, plagioclase, perthite, quartz and muscovite mica can be found at the Hootowl mine
(abandoned) (MITCH-017). This mine can be reached by taking Highway 19-E west from
Estatoe; at 0.37 mile turn left (south) on SR 1157; at 0.4 mile take the right fork; at
approximately 0.9 mile mark the state road ends and a private road begins. The mine is on
the left (east) side of the road. The Hootowl is shown and labeled on the Micaville 7
minute topographic map.
Feldspar, plagioclase, quartz and muscovite mica, along with accessory minerals biotite,
garnet and tourmaline (rare) are reported from the Sinkhole mine (abandoned)
(MITCH-016). The mine can be reached by going 1.6 miles northwest SR 1191 from the
intersection of SR 1191 and NC Highway 226; turn left on Highway 80; at 2.3 miles the mine
is to the left just before SR 1182. This mine is shown on the Micaville 7 minute
topographic map.
Another collecting locale is at the Deer Park mine (abandoned) (MITCH-008) northwest of
Spruce Pine. Feldspar, perthite, plagioclase, quartz and mica can be found with accessory
minerals - thulite, hyalite and monazite. At the intersection of NC Highway 226 and SR 1162,
north of Spruce Pine, turn left (southwest) onto SR 1162 (Penland Road). Travel
approximately 1.6 miles to Penland and cross the bridge over the North Toe River. Turn
immediately left (east) onto SR 1270 for a very short distance. After state-maintained road
ends, continue on 4-wheel drive road that parallels the river to the mine area in bend of the
North Toe River approximately 0.7th of a mile. This mine is shown on the Spruce Pine 7
topographic map.
Yancey County: Feldspar (plagioclase), perthite, quartz and muscovite occur at the Ray
(Wray) mica mine (abandoned) (YANCE-001). Other minerals reported are golden and
aquamarine beryl, apatite crystals, clear oligoclase (plagioclase feldspar), biotite, amazonite,
thulite, garnet, autunite, columbite-tantalite, tourmaline, zircon and rutile.
To reach the mine, turn south onto NC Highway 197 from US Highway 19-E in Burnsville.
Travel 0.9 mile to an intersection with SR 1109. Turn left (east) and travel along SR 1109
(Bowlens Creek Road) for approximately 1.4 miles to the intersection with SR 1192, nearly
opposite the Bowlens Creek Church. Turn left (east) onto SR 1192 for about 0.3 mile where
the state-maintained road ends and a 4-wheel drive road leads to mine workings a little
further ahead on left. This site lies in the Pisgah National Forest.
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Anorthite
Chemical Composition: CaAl2Si2O8
Calcium aluminum silicate
Class: Silicate
Habit: Usually massive, cleavable, granular, or compact.
Physical properties: Luster vitreous. Color white-gray, reddish. Transparent to translucent.

Cleavage two perfect {010,001} at 86o. Fracture uneven to conchoidal (like the edge of a
glass fragment). Brittle. H. 6. S.G. 2.74-2.76.
Occurrence: Anorthite occurs in some ultramafic igneous rocks.
Index.
Clay County: Anorthite occurs in a dunite deposit located on Buck Creek, north of US 64
(CLAY-009).
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Potassium feldspars
Microcline
Chemical Composition: KAlSi3O8
Potassium aluminum silicate
Class: Silicate
Habit: Crystals often short prismatic. Twinning may be present. Often massive, coarsely
cleavable to granular.
Physical properties: Luster vitreous, sometimes pearly on cleavage surfaces. Color white,
gray, pale cream yellow, flesh pink, various shades of red, green (amazonstone). Streak
uncolored to white. Transparent to translucent. Cleavage {001}, {010} perfect at nearly right
angles (89.5o). Fracture uneven. Brittle. H. 6-6.5. S.G. 2.56-2.63.
Occurrence: Microcline occurs in granites, granitic gneisses and pegmatites.
Index.
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Caswell County: Microcline can be found in the pegmatite bodies south of Milton near
Yarbro. A 10- to 12-foot wide pegmatite dike crops out (exposed) in a road cut on the north
side of SR 1554, .35 mile northwest of the intersection of SR 1554 and SR 1557. The
pegmatite contains near perfect crystals of microcline (CASWE-001).
A 5- to 7-foot wide pegmatite crops out on the east-side of SR 1559, .4 mile southeast of
Semora. The pegmatite is composed of intergrowths of quartz, microcline feldspar, and
muscovite mica. The quartz occurs as irregularly shaped masses surrounded by subhedral
to euhedral microcline feldspar and grayish to clear crystals of muscovite mica
(CASWE-002). An euhedral crystal has many of its faces visible. A subhedral crystal has
some of its crystal faces visible. A mineral collector tries to find perfect euhedral mineral
specimens.
Cleveland County: Microcline is one of the many minerals that can be found at the Foote
Mineral Company spodumene (lithium) mine (closed) near Kings Mountain (CLEVE-013).
This mine is closed to mineral collecting.
Harnett County: Pink microcline occurs in small pegmatites at Raven Rock (an exposure of
metamorphic rock) on the southwest bank of the Cape Fear River northwest of Lillington and
east of Raven Rock Church (HARNE-002). Raven Rock is now part of the North Carolina
Park System, which prohibits the collecting of mineral specimens.
Henderson County: Occurs in pegmatites in the area around Tuxedo. Freeman mine, .5 mile
west of Tuxedo on SR 1118 (HENDE-001) and Jones mine, .5 mile east of Tuxedo on SR
1856 (HENDE-002).
Mitchell County: Feldspar, plagioclase, quartz and mica (muscovite) occur at the McKinney
mine (collecting fee charged) (MITCH-015). Other accessory minerals that occur are
samarskite, garnet, autunite, torbernite, columbite, hyalite, amazonite, bornite, covellite,
chalcopyrite, allanite, epidote, malachite, sphalerite and massive beryl.
Yancey County: Feldspar (plagioclase), perthite, quartz and muscovite occur at the Ray
(Wray) mica mine (abandoned) (YANCE-001). Other minerals reported are golden and
aquamarine beryl, apatite crystals, clear oligoclase (plagioclase feldspar), biotite, amazonite,
thulite, garnet, autunite, columbite-tantalite, tourmaline, zircon and rutile.
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To reach the mine, turn south onto NC Highway 197 from US Highway 19-E in Burnsville.
Travel 0.9 mile to an intersection with SR 1109. Turn left (east) and travel along SR 1109
(Bowlens Creek Road) for approximately 1.4 miles to the intersection with SR 1192, nearly
opposite the Bowlens Creek Church. Turn left (east) onto SR 1192 for about 0.3 mile where
the state-maintained road ends and a 4-wheel drive road leads to mine workings a little
further ahead on left. This site lies in the Pisgah National Forest.
Orthoclase
Chemical Composition: KAlSi3O8
Potassium aluminum silicate
Class: Silicate
Crystallography: Monoclinic; prismatic
Habit: Crystals often short prismatic. Twinning may be present. Often massive, coarsely
cleavable to granular.
Physical properties: Luster vitreous. Colorless, white, gray, pale yellow, pink, flesh red.
Streak colorless to white. Transparent to translucent. Cleavage {001}, {010} perfect at right
angles (90o ). Fracture uneven to conchoidal (like the edge of a glass fragment). Brittle. H.
6-6.5. S.G. 2.55-2.63.
Occurrence: Orthoclase occurs in granites, granitic gneisses and pegmatites.
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Index.
Davidson County: Orthoclase has been identified at the Silver Hill mine (abandoned) as a
gangue (part of a mineral assemblage that is not profitable but must be mined to retrieve
valuable ore) (DAVID-003).
Granville County: At the Holloway mine (abandoned) located 2 miles south and 1 mile west
of Virgilina in the northwestern portion of the county (GRANV-003). Copper was mined here
in the late 1800s and for short periods in the early 1900s. Orthoclase feldspar is a gangue
mineral associated with the copper ore.
Harnett County: Orthoclase occurs in small pegmatites at Raven Rock (an exposure of
metamorphic rock) on the southwest bank of the Cape Fear River northwest of Lillington and
east of Raven Rock Church (HARNE-002). Raven Rock is now part of the North Carolina
Park System, which prohibits the collecting of mineral specimens.
Mitchell County: Pink orthoclase occurs at the Sullins Branch mine (active mine - no mineral
collecting allowed) located 1.7 miles northwest of Spruce Pine (MITCH-009). Orthoclase
feldspar which can give a sunstone sheen is found on the McKinney property, which lies at
the end of SR 1159, .5 mile east of NC Highway 261, 2.4 miles northeast of Glen Ayers
(MITCH-003).
Feldspar Occurrences
In Wilson and McKenzie (1978) and Conley (1958) the mineral feldspar is reported at a
number of sites. The type of feldspar present is not known; therefore, these occurrences are
lumped together under Feldspar Occurrences.
Index.
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Ashe County: The Duncan mine (abandoned), 1.2 miles southwest of West Jefferson was
worked for mica and also contains beryl, biotite, garnet, feldspar and quartz (ASHE-001).
Buncombe County: Moonstone (albite or microcline) occurs at the Goldsmith mine

(abandoned) (BUNCO-005). The mine is west of Democrat. To reach the site, take NC Hwy
197 west from Democrat for 0.8 mile, turn north on SR 2161 for 0.2 mile. The mine is located
in an open cut on the northeast side of the road bank.
Gaston County: The tin-spodumene belt, which extends through Gaston county, contains
numerous pegmatites. Feldspar and mica are common minerals in pegmatite rocks. These
pegmatites may also contain cassiterite (a tin mineral) and spodumene (lithium).
The sites are located on the southeast corner of the intersection of SR 1401 and 1402, 1.5
miles west of Bessemer City (GASTO-006), between Little Beaverdam Creek and
Beaverdam Creek on SR 1624, in a road cut on a divide between the creeks (GASTO-001
and GASTO-002), and in road cuts north of the junction of Beaverdam Creek and SR 1620
(GASTO-003 and GASTO-004). Another uranium-bearing pegmatite with feldspar and mica
occurs in a road cut exposed on NC Hwy 216, north of its intersection with SR 1409
(GASTO-005).
Jackson County: Plagioclase occurs in pegmatites at the Sheepcliff mine (abandoned), 3

miles north of Cashiers (JACKS-002).
Macon County: Moonstone is reported at the Rose Creek Star Garnet Mine (collecting fee
charged) (MACON-004) and at Mason Mountain Rhodolite Mine (collecting fee charged)
(MACON-007).
Madison County: Unakite, a metamorphosed granite rock composed of epidote, pink

feldspar (orthoclase?) and quartz is reported on Roaring Fork Creek, a short distance above
its entrance into Meadow Creek, 2.8 miles southwest of Bluff (MADIS-006). Unakite is also
reported to occur just north of Bluff (MADIS-007).
Mitchell County: Feldspar and mica, along with beryl, apatite, hyalite, cyrtoite, uraninite,
autunite, torbernite and gummite, occur at the Old 20 mine (abandoned) located southwest
of Spruce Pine, on the west side of the road to Little Switzerland (MITCH-014).
Randolph County: Feldspar is reported at an abandoned highway quarry on the east side of
SR 1411, 0.6 mile north of the intersection Hwy 64 and SR 1411 (RANDO-001).
Swain County: Feldspar (plagioclase) was mined at the Cox No. 1 mine (abandoned)
(SWAIN-001) (Cameron, 1951, p. 82-85 and plate 1 and 17). Perthite, microcline feldspar
with intergrowths of albite, was mined along with plagioclase feldspar at the Carson mines
(abandoned) (SWAIN-002). (Cameron 1951, p. 51-56, plate 1 and plate 5).
Yancey County: Feldspar was mined from many pegmatites in the county. A few of these
are: Presnell mine (abandoned), located on the Toe River 2 miles north of Micaville
(YANCE-005); Old Charles mine (abandoned), located 2.4 miles northeast of Micaville
15 of 18 3/18/14 10:59 AM
(YANCE-006); Fanny Gouge mine (abandoned), which lies 2.5 miles southeast of Micaville
(YANCE-007); and the Spec (Speck) mine (abandoned) (YANCE-008), which is said to be
located south of the Fanny Gouge mine. Lesure (1968) places the Speck mine northeast of
the Fanny Gouge mine.
References
Carpenter, R.H., Schlanz, J.W. and Carpenter, P.A., III, 1995, Potential feldspar resources in
north-central North Carolina: North Carolina Dept. of Environment, Health and Natural
Resources, North Carolina Geol. Sur., Open-File Report 95-1, 21 p.
Bourne, H.L., 1994, Glass raw materials: in Carr, D.D. and others, eds., Industrial
minerals and rocks (6th edition): Littleton, CO, Soc. for Mining, Metallurgy and
Exploration, Inc., p. 543-550.
Conley, J.F., 1958, Mineral localities of North Carolina: North Carolina Dept. of Natural and
Economic Resources, Div. of Earth Resources, Geology and Mineral Resources Section,
Information Circular 16, 128 p.
Cook, R.B., 1978, Minerals of Georgia, their properties and occurrences: Georgia Dept. of
Natural Resources, Geology and Water Resources Div., Bull. 92, 189 p.
Dana, E.S., 1952, Dana's Manual of Mineralogy: John Wiley and Sons, New York, 530 p.
Kauffman, R.A. and Van Dyk, D., 1994, Feldspars: in Carr, D.D. and others, eds.,
Industrial minerals and rocks (6th edition): Littleton, CO., Soc. for Mining,
Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., p. 473-481.
Lesure, F.G., 1968, Mica deposits of the Blue Ridge in North Carolina: U.S. Geol. Sur. Prof.
Paper 577, 129 p.
Neal, P.J., Wiener, L.S., Carpenter, P.A., III, Wilson, W.F. and Parker, J.M., III, 1973,
16 of 18 3/18/14 10:59 AM
Evaluation of potential North Carolina feldspar resources: Report MRL-3, Minerals Research
Laboratory, School of Engineering, North Carolina State University, 67 p.
Paris, T.A., 1994, Minerals of Tennessee: privately printed, 240 p.
Potter, M.J., 1991, Feldspar, and Nepheline Syenite, and Aplite: Annual Report, US Dept. of
Interior, US Bureau of Mines.
Potter, M.J., 1996, Feldspar and Nepheline Syenite: Minerals Yearbook, US Dept. of Interior,
US Geological Survey; (//minerals.er.usgs.gov/minerals).
Potter, M.J., 1997, Feldspar: Mineral Commodity Summaries, US Dept. of Interior, US

Geological Survey; (//minerals.er.usgs.gov/minerals).
Reid, J.C., Carpenter, R.H. and Davis, T.E., 1999, Permitted active and inactive mining
operations in North Carolina as of June, 1998: North Carolina Dept. of Environment and
Natural Resources, Open-File Report, in preparation.
Stuckey, J.L., 1965, North Carolina: Its geology and mineral resources: North Carolina Div.
of Mineral Resources, 550 p.
Watts, A.S., 1913, Mining and treatment of feldspar and kaolin in the southern Appalachian
region: U.S. Bur. of Mines Bull. 53, 170 p.
Wiener, L.S. and Merschat, C.E., 1977, Field guidebook to the geology of the central Blue
Ridge of North Carolina and the Spruce Pine Mining District: Assoc. of Amer. State
Geologists, Ann. Meeting, May 1975, Asheville, North Carolina, North Carolina Dept. of
Natural and Economic Resources, Div. of Earth Resources, Geology and Mineral Resource
Sec., 24 p.
17 of 18 3/18/14 10:59 AM
Wilson, W.F. and McKenzie, B.J., 1978, Mineral collecting sites in North Carolina: North
Carolina Dept. of Natural Resources and Community Development, Geol. Sur. Sec.,
Information Circular 24, 122 p.
18 of 18 3/18/14 10:59 AM

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Feldspar http://www.geology.enr.state.nc.us/Mineral resources/feldmod.

History and production

The Spruce Pine alaskite is a light colored, medium- to coarse-grained feldspar-quartz-

Map of Feldspar Resources - North Carolina

Map of Feldspar Occurrences - Spruce Pine District

MINERAL DESCRIPTIONS AND SITES

albite (moonstone) (sodium rich),

Map of Feldspar Mineral Occurrences

Chemical Composition: (Na,Ca)AlSi3O8

Sodium, calcium (0 to 10%) aluminum silicate

Crystallography: Triclinic; pinacoidal

Occurrence: Albite is a very common mineral of the plagioclase group of feldspar.

Mineral Collecting Sites

Oligoclase Plagioclase feldspar

Chemical Composition: (Na,Ca)AlSi3O8

Sodium, calcium (10 to 30%) aluminum silicate

Crystallography: Triclinic; pinacoidal

Habit: Crystals commonly tabular, uncommon. Usually massive, cleavable, granular, or

Mineral Collecting Sites

Chemical Composition: CaAl2Si2O8

Calcium aluminum silicate

Crystallography: Triclinic; pinacoidal

Habit: Usually massive, cleavable, granular, or compact.

Physical properties: Luster vitreous. Color white-gray, reddish. Transparent to translucent.

Occurrence: Anorthite occurs in some ultramafic igneous rocks.

Chemical Composition: KAlSi3O8

Potassium aluminum silicate

Crystallography: Triclinic; pinacoidal

Occurrence: Microcline occurs in granites, granitic gneisses and pegmatites.

Mineral Collecting Sites

Chemical Composition: KAlSi3O8

Potassium aluminum silicate

Crystallography: Monoclinic; prismatic

Occurrence: Orthoclase occurs in granites, granitic gneisses and pegmatites.

Buncombe County: Moonstone (albite or microcline) occurs at the Goldsmith mine

Jackson County: Plagioclase occurs in pegmatites at the Sheepcliff mine (abandoned), 3

Madison County: Unakite, a metamorphosed granite rock composed of epidote, pink

Paris, T.A., 1994, Minerals of Tennessee: privately printed, 240 p.

Potter, M.J., 1997, Feldspar: Mineral Commodity Summaries, US Dept. of Interior, US

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