Gold, base-metal, and related deposits of North Carolina

Gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, pyrite, tin, cobalt, molybdenum, tungsten, barite, and rare-earths have been mined in North Carolina. Gold, with by-product silver, occurs in veins and mineralized shear zones in metamorphic rocks of the Piedmont province and in placers derived from these deposits. Copper occurs with complex sulfide ores in quartz veins in the metamorphic rocks of the Piedmont province and in massive pyrrhotite-pyrite deposits in crystalline rocks west of the Blue Ridge. Lead and zinc occur in complex ores of gold, copper, lead, zinc, and silver in veins and replacements in metamorphic rocks. Pyrite occurs in crystalline metamorphic rocks. Tin occurs in pegmatite and placer deposits in crystalline rocks near Kings Mountain. Cobalt minerals with ores of iron or gold have been reported in a few areas in the Piedmont. Molybdenum occurs along the borders of a granite body in Halifax County. Tungsten minerals occur with copper sulfide ores in Cabarrus and Vance Counties. Barite occurs in quartz veins and associated with sulfide minerals in Orange, Madison, Cleveland, and Gaston Counties. Ore-earths occur with sulfides in vein deposits in Cabarrus County.