A Rockhounding Guide to North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains
By Michael Streeter, North Carolina Professional Geologist, Photographer & Rockhound
2nd Printing - April 1, 2003
From the author's website:
This book has everything that you will need for your rockhounding adventure: clear and concise directions to each site including precise GPS coordinates, location maps depicting major roads and towns, detailed topographic maps of each site that show the entire collecting area and surrounding vicinity, a list and pictures of rocks and minerals to be found at each site, artistic photographs of mines and minerals, recommended tools and complete directions for their use, color photographs of all mineral specimens, an informative glossary of geological terms, a complete index of all sites and minerals and a listing of rock and mineral museums and dozens of rock and mineral clubs. Also included in the book are guidelines for safe and responsible collecting, a geologic history of western North Carolina and loads of information on the region's colorful mining history. This book is packed with useful information - an excellent resource and educational guide and the only North Carolina rockhounding guide that contains four full pages of accurate color photographs of authentic rocks and minerals collected at every location in the book.
I began rockhounding over 35 years ago as an "Air Force Brat". My passion for rocks and minerals inspired me to enter college where I obtained Bachelor's and Master's degrees in geology. I have been collecting in western North Carolina where I live and work as a licensed professional geologist for nearly 12 years. After about a decade of actual hands-on rockhounding experience at every site in this book and more, it took about two years to painstakingly research, write and edit this book. With many dozens of collecting sites to choose from, I carefully decided to include only "quality" and accessible sites in my book - only places where even a beginning rockhound would have an excellent chance of success and where permission to collect is not an issue or can be very easily obtained. This rockhounding guide is uniquely designed to appeal to rockhounds, history buffs, photography enthusiasts and nature lovers. Each book was printed on high quality paper, using state of the art digital technology for the sharpest and clearest text and most accurate, true to life maps and photographs possible. This book is complete - no additional maps, directions or information are necessary to find your way to loads of rocks and minerals.
Review from Rock & Gem Magazine (January 2004):
The title of this text says it all. For anyone planning on rock hunting in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Rockhounding Guide to North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains (Milestone Press, 2003) is an essential part of the collecting kit. It is a great aid when visiting this ideal setting for family digging and vacationing. The scenic reaches and great variety of mineral opportunities here are well known, and this handy text is a perfect companion. For its size, it is quite complete.
Designed to provide the exact location of 30 collecting areas in 17 North Carolina counties, this book is remarkable in its exactness of directions and locations for digging, along with detailed information on what to look for when you get there.
Each site information page gives a brief but very useful description of the minerals found at that site. The variety of minerals species is almost astounding. It offers chances to find everything from ruby and sapphire to calcite to lapidary materials, and a host of minerals in between.
This text is right up to date in that it provides a map of each collecting area taken directly from U.S. Geological Survey documents. With each map are the exact GPS locations to the deposit so you can go right to the spot. Information on GPS instruments and how to obtain larger area maps is given.
Michael Streeter, the author, is licensed with the North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources and is a trained geologist. His expertise shows through as he describes the rocks and minerals, as well as enough geology to help the rockhound be successful.
With a glossary, a brief history of the area, including the prehistoric trading and mining activities of the early inhabitants, 100 black-and-white maps and photos, and a four-page color insert, this 132-page text offers far more than just collecting information. Easy to read, with directions just as easy to follow, this handy guide belongs in every collector's library and backpack.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Geologic History
Mining History
HOW TO USE THE BOOK
ROCKHOUNDING TOOLS
CONDUCT IN THE FIELD
PERMISSION TO COLLECT
SAFETY
COLLECTION SITES BY COUNTY
Avery County
Cranberry Iron Mine
Buncombe County
Black Mountain Kyanite
Goldsmith Mine
Cherokee County
Hitchcock Mine
Murphy Limonite after Pyrite
Vengeance Creek
Clay County
Behr Corundum Mine
Buck Creek
Corundum Knob
Haywood County
Chambers Mountain Kyanite
Wood Creek
Old Pressley Sapphire Mine
Redmond Prospect
Jackson County
Ruby City
Sheepcliff Mine
Macon County
Madison County
Little Pine Garnet Mine
Shut-in Creek Unakite
Stackhouse Mines
McDowell County
Woodlawn Limestone Quarry
Mitchell County
Abernathy Mine
Bandana Dolomite Marble
Sinkhole Mine
Chalk Mountain Mine
Crabtree Emerald Mine
Deer Park Mine
Hootowl Mine
Swain County
Nantahala Talc & Limestone Mine
Transylvania County
Grimshawe Mine
Yancey County
Mas-Celo Mine
Ray (Wray) Mine
APPENDIX
GLOSSARY
RESOURCES
Area Rock and Mineral Museums
Selected list of Rock and Mineral Clubs
