Beryllium resources of the tin-spodumene belt, North Carolina
Circular
309
By: Wallace R. Griffitts
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Abstract
Pegmatite dikes in the tin-spodumene belt of North and South Carolina uniformly contain about 0.05 percent BeO. The most abundant minerals in the pegmatite contain from 0. 0001 to 0.01 percent BeO. Beryl, having 12.0 to 12.3 percent BeO, is the only beryllium-rich mineral and contains more than 80 percent of the total beryllium in the rock. Beryl-bearing pegmatite crops out on hillsides near streams that flow through the pegmatite belt. Much of the pegmatite contains spodumene, feldspar, mica, cassiterite, and columbite, as well as beryl, but separating these minerals will require milling.
The minable spodumene ore in the Kings Mountain area, above a depth of 300 feet contains about 40,000 tons of beryl, equivalent to 6, 000 tons of BeO, if 80 percent of the BeO is assumed to be in beryl. Other pegmatite in that area contains an additional 238,000 tons of beryl, or 35, 900 tons of BeO. On the basis of the same assumptions the spodumene ore above a depth of 300 feet 1
in the Beaverdam Creek area contains 6, 000 tons of beryl, or 800 tons of BeO, and all other pegmatite in that area contains an additional 13, 000 tons of beryl, or 1, 700 tons of BeO. The entire tin-spodumene belt contains 823, 000 tons of beryl, equivalent to 122,800 tons of BeO.
Little beryllium was found in the Piedmont province outside of the tin-spodumene belt.
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | Beryllium resources of the tin-spodumene belt, North Carolina |
| Series title | Circular |
| Series number | 309 |
| DOI | 10.3133/cir309 |
| Edition | - |
| Year Published | 1954 |
| Language | ENGLISH |
| Publisher | [U.S. Geological Survey], |
| Description | 12 p. :illus., maps (3 fold.) ;27 cm. |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |