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Geochemical survey of Shining Rock Wilderness, Heywood County, North Carolina

Miscellaneous Field Studies Map 1290-B
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Abstract

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) made a reconnaissance geochemical survey of the Shining Rock Wilderness (fig. 1) to test for unidentified or unexposed mineral deposits that might be recognized by their geochemical halos.  Similar geochemical survey based on trace-element analyses have been credited with the discovery of many types of mineral deposits (Hawkes and Webb, 1962).  Although no metallic mineral deposits are known in the study area, the same sequence of rocks that is exposed there contains small deposits of copper-bearing sulfides 10-18 mi (16-28 km) west and southwest of the wilderness (Gair and Slack, 1979).  Keith (1907, p. 8) reports minor amounts of copper sulfides and iron sulfides in schist and in quartz veins cutting schist near Retreat, 4 mi (6.5 km) northwest of the wilderness.  An old gold mine, the Boylston mine, on Forge Mountain 10 mi (16 km) east of the wilderness (Nitze and Hanna, 1896, p. 181-191) is in metasedimentary rocks of the Great Smoky Group (Hadley and Nelson, 1971) which are probably younger than the rocks exposed in the wilderness.

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Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Geochemical survey of Shining Rock Wilderness, Heywood County, North Carolina
Series title Miscellaneous Field Studies Map
Series number 1290
Chapter B
DOI 10.3133/mf1290B
Year Published 1981
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Description 42.00 x 55.52 inches
Country United States
State North Carolina
County Haywood County
Other Geospatial Shining Rock Wilderness
Scale 0
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