GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 309

BERYLLIUM RESOURCES 

OF THE TIN-SPODUMENE 

BELT, NORTH CAROLINA

Prepared in cooperation with the 

North Carolina Department of Conservation and Development and the 

U. S. Atomic Energy Commission. 

The report is published with the 

permission of the Commission.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Douglas McKay, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. E. Wrather, Director

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 309

BERYLLIUM RESOURCES OF THE TIN-SPODUMENE BELT

NORTH CAROLINA

By W. R. Griffitts

Prepared in cooperation with the 

North Carolina Department of Conservation and Development and the 

U. S. Atomic Energy Commission. 

The report is published with the 

permission of the Commission.

Washington, D. C., 1954

Free on application to the Geological Survey, Washington 25, D. C.
BERYLLIUM RESOURCES OF THE TIN-SPODUMENE BELT

NORTH CAROLINA

By W. R. Griffitts

CONTENTS

Page

Abstract...................................... 1

Introduction.................................. 1

Geology ..................................... 2

General features ........................ 2

Pegmatite geology....................... 2

Distribution and attitude............. 2

Size and shape ..................... 2

Lithology and internal

structure........................ 3

Page

G eology C ontinued

Pegmatite geology Continued

Mineralogy........................ 3

Distribution of beryllium .. ......... 3

Beryllium resources......................... 8

Suggestions for prospecting................... 8

Beryllium content of nonpegmatitic rocks

in the Piedmont province.................... 11

Literature cited .............................. 12

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

Plate 1. Sample localities .............................................................. Inside back cover

2. Map of Solvay Process opencut.................................................. Inside back cover

3. Map of part of tin-spodumene belt, southwest of Kings Mountain .................... Inside back cover

Figure 1. Index map................................................................................. 2

2. Relation of BeO content to composition of pegmatite ........................................... 7

3. Map of Beaverdam Creek area .............................................................. 9

TABLES

Page

Table 1. BeO and mineral content of samples ......................................................... 4

2. BeO resources of the tin-spodumene belt..................................................... 10

3. Value of minerals in one ton of average spodumene-bearing pegmatite ........................... .10

4. BeO content of rocks other than pegmatite.................................................... 11

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

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.

INTRODUCTION

The narrow belt of crystalline rocks containing 

many pegmatite dikes that aptly has been termed the 

"tin-spodumene belt" (Kesler, 1942) extends from 

Gaffney, S. C. to a point a few miles east of Lincolnton, 

N. C. (fig. 1) and is about 30 miles west of Charlotte. 

The belt is less than 2 miles in width and is about 

25 miles in length. It is entirely in the Piedmont, the 

upland surface of which has an altitude of about 1,000 feet 

in the area of the pegmatite belt, and has been dissected
1. Kings Mountain area

(Spodumene-beryl pegmatites)

2. Beaverdam Creek area

(Spedumene-beryl pegmatites) 

S.Cherryville area

(Mica pegmatites) 

4 Hiddemle area

5. Conover area 

(Mica pegmatites)

6. Follston area 

(Mica pegmatites)

7. Shelby area 

(Mica pegmatites)

NORTH CAROLINA 

SOUTH CAROLINA

Figure 1. Index map of pegmatite areas of the Piedmont 

province in North Carolina.

to form gently-rolling hills with a local relief of about 

150 feet. A few hills rise several hundred feet above 

the surrounding country.

Inasmuch as this part of the Piedmont is heavily 

populated there is a network of good paved and dirt 

roads that provide ready access to most of the pegmatite 

deposits. Rail service is available at Kings Mountain, 

Lincolnton, Grover, Bessemer City, and at a few small 

mill towns along the pegmatite belt.

The discovery of beryllium in mill tailings near 

Kings Mountain was made as a result of the wartime 

mill products investigations of the Geological Survey. 

The presence of beryllium was verified by L. R. Page, 

who took samples of them in 1948, and a more extensive 

program of sampling the concentrates, tailings, and 

pegmatite was then started under his general direction. 

W. R. Griffitts began this sampling in January 1949, 

with the assistance of Robert E. Burns, and continued 

it alone through the summer of 1949. The work was 

done by the U. S. Geological Survey in cooperation 

with the Division of Raw Materials of the U. S. Atomic 

Energy Commission and the North Carolina Department 

of Conservation and Development.

GEOLOGY 

General features

The tin-spodumene belt is underlain by muscovite 

schist, biotite schist,! hornblende schist and gneiss, 

and quartz monzonite (Keith and Sterrett, 1951), and 

is a short distance east of a large body of Cherryville 

quartz monzonite (Griffitts and Overstreet, 1952, fig. 1). 

The foliation of the metamorphic rocks trends northeast, roughly parallel to the trend of the belt.

Pegmatite geology 

Distribution and attitude

The tin-spodumene belt includes three main types 

of pegmatite: spodumene-microcline-albite-quartz 

pegmatite, microcline-albite-quartz pegmatite, and 

perthite-oligoclase-quartz-muscovite pegmatite. The 

first two, characterized by non-perthitic microcline 

and albite, have a rather uniform content of beryl. 

The albite-bearing pegmatite dikes are composite, 

consisting of aplite as well as pegmatite. Although the 

separation is imperfect, the spodumene-bearing pegmatites are commonest in the middle part of the belt. 

Excluding the oligoclase- and muscovite-bearing pegmatites, the belt is 35 miles long and not over 2 miles 

wide. The part of the belt that encloses albite-microcline pegmatites rich in beryl, and includes both 

spodumene-bearing and spodumene-free pegmatites, 

is outlined on plate 1.

Pegmatite dikes are not evenly distributed 

through the belt. They are abundant and closely spaced 

in the Kings Mountain area at the narrowest part of the 

belt and are abundant but more widely spaced in the 

Beaverdam Creek area and to the north (Kesler, 1942, 

pis. 39, 40).

South of Kings,Mountain the pegmatite dikes 

strike from north to north-northeast; north of that 

town the strike is less constant, but it is most commonly 

northwest, northeast, or east-northeast. The dips 

are generally steeper than 45 degrees. Several dikes 

southwest of Kings Mountain plunge northward at angles 

of from 10 to 30 degrees. The dikes farther north 

may also plunge gently but neither the direction nor 

the angle has been determined.

Size and shape

The pegmatite dikes range from a few feet to 

3, 200 feet in length and from 6 inches to 400 feet in 

width. Drilling by the Foote Mineral Co. has shown 

a pegmatite dike to extend at least to a 900-foot depth 

(Anonymous, 1952). At the Ka-Mi-Tin mine, which 

is at the north end of the belt, a spodumene- and 

cassiterite-bearing pegmatite dike was proved by 

diamond drilling to extend at least to a depth of 140 feet, 

according to D. B. Sterrett (field notes, 1912).

Diamond drilling shows that the pegmatites do 

not change in character with depth and that some pegmatite dikes not exposed at the surface are present at 

depth. Kesler (1942, p. 268, 269) assumed a downward 

extension of 100 feet in determining the spodumene
resources of the Kings Mountain and Beaverda.m Creek 

areas. This now seems to be a very conservative 

estimate and a depth of 300 feet is used in estimating 

resources in this report. Actually, it is probable that 

beryl- and spodumene-bearing pegmatite is as abundant 

and widespread at a depth of a mile or more as at the 

surface, but individual dikes naturally are not expected 

to persist to that depth.

Many of the pegmatite dikes are tabular and 

others have straight tabular members between sharp 

bends. Some dikes that have been explored finger oui; 

at their ends and apparently below their keels as well. 

A few are very irregular, with tabular or wedge-like 

offshoots from a moderately large central part.

Lithology and internal structure

The overall composition of each main type of 

pegmatite is moderately uniform throughout the belt, 

but the textures vary greatly. South of Kings Mountain 

much of the pegmatite is fissile or gneissic. The 

larger spodumene and microcline grains form eyes 

that are wrapped in moderately to very strongly layered 

albite-quartz pegmatite that may contain smaller grains 

of spodumene and microcline. The cleavage surfaces 

of the large grains commonly are bent and the crystals 

themselves are broken and the pieces surrounded by 

the albite-quartz matrix. Most of these dikes are composite, containing aplite as well as pegmatite. The 

aplite occurs as layers that may be several feet thick. 

It has less spodumene and microcline than the pegmatite 

but otherwise it is similar in composition.

In the pegmatite dikes south of Kings Mountain, 

zones are absent or restricted to a few small maisses 

of rock near the contacts where movements in the 

crystallizing magma did not interfere with normal 

crystallization. The zones are neither large enough 

nor common enough to be of much importance in planning 

either exploration or development.

Pegmatite bodies north of Kings Mountain commonly are not conspicuously zoned. The contrast in 

composition between zones is small and the division 

must be based primarily upon the size or orientation 

of the mineral grains and, in some places, on arbitrarily fixed limits of mineral proportions. The grains in 

the outer part of the dikes are commonly normal to the 

contacts. Microcline is slightly more abundant in the 

inner parts of some pegmatite dikes. Some border 

zones are spodumene free, some are spodumene bearing; 

otherwise, spodumene seems to be present throughout 

the spodumene-bearing dikes. Beca.use of the narrowness of most dikes in the northern part of the tinspodumene belt and the small variation in mineral 

proportions, zones cannot be selectively explored or 

mined; Many of the dikes in the northern part of the 

belt are composite, with thin dikes of spodumene-bearing 

pegmatite cutting larger dikes of spodumene-free pegmatite or of aplite dikes cutting either spodumenebearing or spodumene-free pegmatite. Uncommonly, 

aplite dikes are cut by spodumene-free pegmatite.

In table 1 the textures are described as massive, 

cleavable, gneissic, sugary, or comb. The massive 

rocks show no prominant segregation or parallelism 

of the constituent mineral particles. The cleavable 

rocks are generally fine grained or have a fine-grained

matrix. In these rocks the minerals are not segregated 

into distinct layers but, because of a strong parallelism 

among the grains, the cleavage of the rock is well 

developed. In gneissic rocks the minerals are segregated into layers of different composition; cleavage may 

be well developed. Sugary texture is common in finegrained rocks or aplites that show neither strong 

parallelism of mineral grains nor conspicuous segregation of minerals into layers. Comb structure, 

found commonly only in the pegmatites north of Kings 

Mountain, consists of elongate mineral grains, generally 

spodumene, oriented normal to the contacts of the 

pegmatite dike.

Mineralogy

The pegmatites of the tin-spodumene belt are 

composed very largely of albite, microcline, spodumene, 

and quartz (table 1). Other minerals only locally make 

up as much as 5 percent of the rock. The common accessory minerals are muscovite, apatite, beryl, 

cassiterite, and garnet. Many other minerals have 

been found in the pegmatites (Kesler, 1942, p. 255), 

but of these only columbite is likely to be of value. 

The oligoclase-perthite-quartz-muscovite pegmatites 

along the western side but within the tin-spodumene 

belt and the sheet-mica bearing pegmatites that are 

west of the tin-spodumene belt contain fewer minerals, 

much more muscovite and biotite, and are more 

clearly zoned.

The average grain size of the pegmatites is 

moderately small. The largest spodumene crystal 

found was 38 inches long and the largest microcline 

grain 25 inches. Most crystals of both minerals are 

smaller than 1 foot. The albite is in grains about 

0. 1 of an inch across. Quartz grains, 0.1 of an inch 

or smaller in diameter, are clustered in aggregates 

that are as much as 6 inches wide.

The beryl in the pegmatites is white to pale green 

or pale blue; white beryl predominates. The beryl, 

grains range in diameter from 0.001 inch to as much 

as 2 inches; most are very small, few measuring more 

than 0.1 of an inch. Most large grains either have no 

crystal faces or are stubby crystals about as long as 

they are wide. The fine-grained white beryl is very 

hard to recognize in the pegmatite as its color and 

luster are not very different from those of the associated 

quartz and feldspar. The omega refractive index of the 

beryl ranges from 1. 587 to 1. 589, which indicates that 

the'beryl contains from 12.0 to 12. 3 percent BeO.

Distribution of beryllium

The BeO of the samples shows no variation that 

is closely related to the distance of the sample from 

the walls, crest, or keel of the dike. Dike 25 (pis. 2, 3), 

exposed in the opencut south of Kings Mountain, was 

sampled at its north end near its crest and a bulk sample 

of its middle and lower parts was obtained from the 

stock pile of millfeed. Near the crest of the dike 

(sample localities NW, NE, E.) the pegmatite averages 

0. 036 percent BeO whereas in the lower part (sample 

MH-1, table 1) it contains 0.053 percent. Dike 21 

(pi. 3) was sampled near its south end (sample locality 

KM2) and about 600 feet farther north (sample locality 

KM3) and the BeO assays were 0.059 and0.054percent,
Tatle 1. BeO and mineral content of samples f^om the tin-spodumene belt, North Carolina 

[Symbols: C, cleavable; G, gneissic; M, massive; K, comb; S, sugary]

Locality Sample

Weight 

(pounds)

Length 

(feet) 2

Position

Minerals 3

Spodumene

Percent

Grain 

size 

(inches)

Microcline

Percent

Grain 

size 

(inches)

Albite

Percent

Grain

size

(inStaes)

Quartz

Percent

Grain 

size 

(inches)

1. Kings Mountain area 

(See pi. 3)

VM T

VTuf T

VTuf T

VTuf O

KM- 2

KM- 2

1/M O

KM- 2

T/tjl O

trtir f\

V\g f\

KM- 3

KM- 3

KM- 3

KM- 3

injt -z

V\t -z

KM- 14-

VM )i

KM- k

KM- k

KM- 5

v\* f.

Vtjt 17

KM- 7 

KM- 7

VTuf "7

VTuI *7

TOUT "7

KM- 8

KM- 9

KM- 9

KM- 9

T/Vf fv

KM-1O

A

p

D

A

D

A

P

D

F

A

P

D

A

B T

B-2

B-3

B-k

p

D

.

D

A

k k

K ]l

]i O

7.9

 7 £

7.9

?

/ 

 7 Q

7-3

Q K

7.0

7.2

7-3

5.1

15.6

7.9

3.3

15.0

17.2

7

Q 

.0

33.7 

8f

19. ^

9.7 

10.8 

11.0

1 Q -7

12.0

8

f

9

0

10.3

21 Q

8

0

8

..

7.7

17. k

10

k

7

13

13

10

13

12

k

16

20

8

7

9

7

12

11

1

12

20

7

30

10

20

10

13

Ik

T Q

23

17

19

5 

80

12

T Q

27

17

East of A 

East of C 

East of F 

East wall 

West of BWest of C 

West of D 

West of E 

Uoe-h r»-P A

West of B----- -

Entire width 

 do 

West of B-l ~ 

West of B-2 

Woe-h i-»f "R "^

West of B-^4--------

West of C-- - - -

West of D 

West of E 

Entire width 

West of B 

10

5

10

25 

25

30

30

10

20

20

25

20

25

10

30

10

20

35

20

35

15

30

5

7 

20

10

20

20

25

20

15

n

0.5

.05

1

5 

6

.

k

.1

5

1

5

k

3

k

3

.1

5

1

.1

k

3

.1

1

1

1

1

k

2

1

1

5

0

^ '

15 

10

10

35

35

10

T P.

60

20

15- 

1^0

1^0

30

15 

20

10

35

10

10

25 

35

25 

20

25

20

25 

20

30

30

*.-s

1

.5 

6

k

k

.1

5 

6

1

k

k

3

3

3

.1

k

1

5

.1 

3

k

k

.1

5 

3

k

k

5

3

2

2

5

k

^

60

65

50

1 Q

T Q

60

37

607

25

20

15 

30

10

2Q

35

30

20

25

 2Q

30

50

X

35

in

kQ

35

29 

30

30

kn

0.1

.05

.3

.3

.5

.3

.3 

.1

.3 

.1

.3

.3

.3 

.1

.2

.2

.05 

.2

.1

.3

.1 

.2

.1

.1

.1 

.1

.2

.1

.1

.1

.1

.2

.5

.2

"S

35

:L

25 

20

20

10

10

20

20

20

25

25 

^0

10

20

20

25

15

15 

10

50

20

25

17 

30

22

22

15

15

25 

17

20

&<=<

0.1

.05

.1

.3-. 5

.3

*

.5

.5 

.1

.5

1

.5

1.5 

.1

.5

.5 

.1

.5 

.1

.1

.1 

2

k

.1

.1 

.1

1

.1

2

1

2

.5

1

5

i
2. Kings Mountain area, Solvay Process Co. opencut10 

(See pis. 2, 3)

TITTJ1

ivn?

tSTP

ftTTT

tSTP

WE1

m

NE

NE 

NE

1

2

3

4

5 

6

7 

1

2

3

4

5 

6.

7

10

11 

12 

1

2

3

4

5 

6

5.2 1.2

1.4

3.9

5-3 

H.7

~i Q f\

6.0

.5

1.7

3.1

.5

1.9

3.5 

5.0

10.0

1

.7

1.3 

2.1

4.2

1.5

2.5

West of l---------

W<=Ql- nf 9__-------

West of ^ --------

Tjost nf R_ _______

TjoQ-H nf ^ ___ ___

TPac t TJnl 1 _

Uoa-f- nf 1

Tjeat nf O_________

Tjoat nf ^ ________

TJoa 4- rt-P E

Woat nf 7 _______

Part of 8 

Wo a + TJ« T 1 _. _.

West wall rock 

East wall rock 

TJ_3Q-(- fv-P O _» _

IJoQ-S- rtf ^ -

TJ.-_a-(- rtf h.

TJ/-1Q-I- >-*-p K __

0

0

0

15

15

15

10

0

25

10

0

30

30

15

10

0

0

0

.20

40

3

4

1*

10

2

3

2

4

3

3

3

1*

0

50

0

20

5

5

15

0(7)

30

5

15

10

10

10

0

0

15

5

2

2

4

4

4

1

13 

2

4

2

3

.1

3

3

75

15

80

35

60

60

50

0

0

60

75

70

£Q

0

35

0.2

.1

.1

.1

.1

.1

.1

.1

.2

25

35

20

30

20

20

25

(?)

45

60

20

25

30

30

65

20

0.2

.1

.1

.1

.1

.1

.1

.1

.1

.1

.1

.5

3. Kings Mountain area, products of Solvay Process Co. mill10

\irtr n

C n

C O

P ^

73 

11

5

7

4. Beaverdam Creek area5 

(See fig. 3)

W 1

JDL- p

T3f ^C

Tip *7

W 7

"RP ft

ftp Q

BC- 9

cu- y 

w i r> a

8

x7

x7

x5.9 

6.0

6.5

8

r-7

8

-1

10.1

7.9

9-3

8

-i

ft n

20

20

40

15

13 

10

16

22

13

25 

20

IR

Entire width 

 do 

 do 

 do 

 do 

 do 

15

20

30

10

25 

10

15

15

0

0

0

0

TS

3.0

4

2

4

3 

2

2

^

5

10

15

15

30

25 

30

35

59 

59

30

35 

on

4

2

3 

6

5 

6

3

4

1

3

5 

£

53

42

35

55

19

35 

22

23

10

10

?.&

33 

 *.a

0.2 ,

.2

.2

.2

.2

.2

.2

.2

.1

.1

25

25

20

20

25 

25

30

25

30

30

30

30

OR

1

2

1

1

3

6

1

i

See footnotes at end of table.
Tatile 1. BeO and mineral content of samples from the tin-spodumene telt, North Carolina1 Contin

[Symbols: C, cleavable; G, gneissic; M. massive; K, comb; S, sugary]

Locality Sample

Weight 

(pounds )

Length 

(feet) 2

Position

1 

2 

5 

k

5 

6 

7 

7

a

A 

A 

A

B 

A

5.0

10.0

7.1 

12.2 

15.0 

9.2

7.0

7.O

5(7)

6

8 

6

500(?)' 

^

Entire width 

 do 

 do 

Near middle(?) 

Rnt.-ir-p wirH-.h- _ 

Minerals 3

Spodumene

Percent

Grain 

size 

(inches)

Microcline

Percent

Grain 

size 

( inches )

AlMte

Percent

Grain 

size 

( inches )

Quartz

Percent

Grain 

size 

(inches)

P

5. Other areas 15 

(See pi. 1)

0 

25 

0 

0 

0 

25 

0 

0 

o

I

20 

10 

20 

15 

20 

20 

0 

o

0.1

1.0 

6.0 

.1

50 

60 

50

1+2 

55 

50

o

0.1

.2 

.2 

.1 

.2 

.5

25 

2525

55 

15 

25 

100 

 7"=;

0.1

1

.5

1 

1 

.1

1 Composition (nearest 1 percent) and grain size were estimated visually.

2 Measured normal to dike.

"Other minerals: KM-4 (A), apatite, 5 percent; KM-4 (B), cassiterite(?); KM-4 (D), cassiterite(?); 

KM-10 (A), biotite; NE-5, tourmaline; NE (10), apatite.

*By spectrographic assay.

O3 5 Analyses by Saratoga Laboratories, Inc. 

8 75 percent. 

7 Matrix. 

8Aplite matrix (25 percent coarse grains).

"Poor.

°Analyses by National Spectroscopic Laboratories, 

^fllreed.

2 Spodumene concentrate.

3Muscovite concentrate.

^Feldspar concentrate.

5Analyses by Strock Laboratories, Inc.

8 Thin pods.
respectively. The uniformity of BeO content in the 

samples of the entire area given on table 1 suggests 

that there is little variation within the dikes.

The BeO of the pegmatite does not vary greatly 

with varying proportions of the essential minerals 

spodumene, microcline, and albite. The general relation between BeO and the proportions of these 

minerals, recalculated to total 100 per.cent, is plotted 

on triangular coordinates in figure 2. In most of the 

samples containing more than 0.06 percent BeO, the 

albite comprises from 35 to 65 percent of the three 

minerals; microcline and spodumene are present in 

a. ratio of about 40 to 60.

Although beryl has been recognized in only a 

few pegmatites in the tin-spodumene belt, it is probably 

the mineral in which most of the beryllium is contained. 

Some albite samples contain as much as 0.01 percent 

BeO, but the material assayed was fine grained and 

might well have contained small grains of beryl. 

However, plagioclase generally contains much less 

BeO as shown by the lack of a very close correlation 

between the plagioclase and BeO contents of the pegmatites. Semiquantitative spectrographic analysis 

shows that plagioclase from four other pegmatites in 

the belt contain from 0. OOOX to 0. OOX percent BeO. Similar analyses of microcline from these four pegmatites 

indicated up to 0.OOOX percent BeO. Quartz interstitial

Fractions represent spectrographically determined 

BeO content of rock.

Mineral percentages based on visual estimates.

Generalized contours enclose areas with about 

-05, .06, and .07 percent BeO.

Spodumene

>o

Microcline

75 50

Percent microcline Albite

Figure 2. Relation of BeO content to mineral composition of pegmatite.

7
to feldspar and spodumene contained less than 0.0001 percent BeO, the minimum detectable by the semiquantitative spectrographic methods used in the Geological 

Survey laboratories.

The spodumene concentrate produced in the mill of 

the Solvay Process Co. contains as much as 0.074 percent 

BeO (sample C-l, table 1), because beryl is concentrated 

with the spodumene The beryllium is not in the spodumene 

itself, but results from admixtures of beryl in the concentrate. Kesler (unpublished notes, 1945) reported a 

spodumene concentrate that contained 1. 2 percent of beryl 

as determined by grain counts. A hand-picked spodumene 

concentrate from pegmatite dike 25 contained O.OOX percent 

BeO by semiquantitative spectrographic analysis.

Quantitative spectrographic analyses of the BeO 

content of minerals from locality 3 (pi. 1), south of 

Laboratory, N. C., are as follows:

Large spodumene-free dike:

Minerals from border zone:

Muscovite 

Albite 

Minerals from wall zone:

Muscovite 

Albite - 

Perthite -

Minerals and rocks from core:

Perthite - 

Muscovite 

Granite - - 

Aplite - 

Small spodumene-bearing dike that cuts 

the large spodumene-free dike:

Minerals from border zone:

Muscovite 

Microcline 

Spodumene 

Minerals from core:

Muscovite 

Albite 

Microcline 

SpodumeneBeO (percent) 1

0.001

.01

.001

.006

.0008

.000^ 

.002 

.01 

.01

.002

.0001

.0008

.002

.01

.0002

.0008

1 Spectrographic analyses by A. A. Chodos, Geochemistry and Petrology Branch, U. S. Geological Survey.

On the basis of these data and the absence of any 

other known beryllium-rich mineral, it is assumed that 

at least 80 percent' of the beryllium in the pegmatite is 

in the form of beryl.

BERYLLIUM RESOURCES

The beryllium content of the pegmatites in the tinspodumenebelt is remarkably uniform. Of 96 samples 

taken, only 11 had less than 0.02 percent BeO and 11 more 

than 0.07 percent. The average of all samples taken in the 

Kings Mountain a.rea (pi. 3) is 0.054 percent. In the 

Beaverdam Creek area (fig. 3) it is 0.044 percent. It is 

probable, therefore, that the average BeO content for each 

of the'main areas sampled 0.05 percent can be taken as 

the average for all pegmatites in the belt. The average 

BeO content of the pegmatites might decrease progressively 

northeastward along the belt.

In computing the tonnage of pegmatite the figures for 

rock tonnage are given to the nearest 100,000 short tons, 

the figures for beryl to the nearest 1,000 short tons, and 

the figures for BeO to the nearest 100 short tons.

The beryllium resources were roughly estimated 

for the Kings Mountain area, the Beaverdam Creek area, 

and the entire pegmatite belt. In making these estimations

it was assumed that the volume of 1 ton of spodumenefree pegmatite was 12 cubic feet and the volume of 1 ton of 

spodumene-bear ing pegmatite was 10 cubic feet, that 

80 percent of the BeO was in beryl, and that the pegmatites 

south of Kings Mountain contained 0.054 percent BeO and 

those farther north contained 0.044 percent BeO. The 

vertical extent was assumed to be 300 feet. Kesler's estimates of the tonnage of pegmatite that would be minable for 

spodumene and of the tonnage of the parts of spodumenebearing dikes that would not profitably be minable for 

spodumene (Kesler, 1942, p. 268) were revised to include 

material to a 300 foot depth, as he included pegmatite down 

to only 100 feet, but his figures were not otherwise modified. 

The outcrop areas of spodumene-free pegmatite were determined from maps and the tonnage was computed using 

the assumptions listed above. The district estimate was 

made by comparing the size and number of pegmatite dikes 

in various parts of the belt with those on the Kings Mountain 

andBeaverdamCreekareas. The beryllium resources 

thus estimated are given in table 2.

A rough estimate of the spodumene resources of 

the belt might be made by assuming that one-third of 

the total tonnage of pegmatite, about 66,000,000 short tons, 

contains 10 percent spodumene, or 6, 600,000 tons.

The amount of beryl estimated to be in the pegmatite 

of the tin-spodumene belt would satisfy the domestic beryllium requirements for many years if a satisfactory method 

is devised by which the beryl can profitably be extracted 

from the rock. The extraction will obviously require grinding the rock, and the values of the various minerals in a ton 

of average spodumene ore given in table 3 indicate that most 

of the cost of a milling operation will have to be repaid by 

sale of spodumene and feldspar. Beryl, mica, and heavy 

minerals will be byproducts. The production of beryl, 

therefore, will depend upon the market for spodumene 

and feldspar.

SUGGESTIONS FOR PROSPECTING

Outcrops of relatively unweathered beryl- and 

spodumene-bear ing pegmatite are common in the tinspodumene belt where hill slopes toward nearby streams 

are moderately steep. Thus, the valley walls along parts 

of Kings, Dixon, and Mill Creeks south of Kings Mountain 

andalong parts of IndianCreek, LongCreek, the South 

Fork River, and some ^their tributaries north of Kings 

Mountain have many outcrops of pegmatite. Surface 

sampling for beryl and exploration of depth by diamond 

drilling of promising deposits should prove the presence 

of large tonnages of beryllium-bearing rock.

The possibility that the dikes may plunge at a gentle 

angle should be kept in mind while planning any exploration 

of the dikes at depth. Southwest of Kings Mountain the 

thickest part of a. dike at depth will generally be north of the 

thickest part of the outcrop because of the northerly plunge. 

The direction and angle of plunge in the part of the belt 

north of Kings Mountain must be determined for the dikes 

following each of the common trends. Inasmuch as exploitation of the deposits will require milling the rock, it 

will be necessary to mine large tonnages as cheaply as 

possible. Small dikes thatwould support small-scale 

mining operations if the minerals could be separated by 

hand cobbing would, therefore, be of little value. Attention 

should naturally be given first to the largest dikes, to closely 

spaced small dikes that could be mined as one operation, 

and to dikes that are favorably situated for cheap mining.

Detailed studies of internal structure are of less 

help in planning exploration and development than in
Contact between intergrading 

hornblende omt biotite gneisses 

on the northwest, and Intertayored 

/ museovite schist and hornblende 

//gneiss on the southeast.

Contour intern! IOO feet, Datum Is mean sea level Base ond geoiogy after R A Edwards. 

R M-Borbour ond TL Kesler. 

Surveyed January-May 1939. 

.Beryllium ssmallng by W.R.Srlffitt., 1949

Figure 3. Geologic map of the Beaverdam Creek area, North Carolina.
Table 2. BeO resources of the tin-spodumene belt, North Carolina

Area and. kind of pegmatite Pegmatite 

(short tons)

Beryl 

(short tons)

BeO 

(short tons)

Kings Mountain and Beaverdam Creek areas (pi. 3, fig- 3)

(A) Kings Mountain area:

Spodumene-rich 11,100,000 

Spodumene-poor - 44,400,000 

Spodumene-free 22,000,000

Total 77,500,000

(B) Beaverdam Creek area:

Spodumene-rich 1,900,000 

Spodumene-poor 1,900,000 

Spodumene-free - - -- --- 100,000

Total 3,900,000

Entire belt (pi. l)

(C) Entire area southwest of Kings Mountain, 

including (A):

All kinds 155,000,000

(D) Between Kings Mountain and (B):

All kinds 15,200,000

(E) (B) and area to north:

All kinds 30,500,000

Total 200,700,000

40,000

160,000

78,000

278,000

6,000

6,000

1,000

13,000

6,000

24,000

11,900

41,900

800

800

100

1,700

745,000

26,000

52,000

823,000

111,700

3,700

7,400

122,800

Table 3. Value of minerals in 1 ton of average spodumene-bearing pegmatite from the tin-spodumene

belt, North Carolina 1

Mineral

Quantity in pegmatite

Percent Units per 

short ton

Valueper unit

Value Unit

Value per

short ton

(nearest $0.25)

Spodumene 

Beryl - 

Feldspar--

20

Mica - 

Columbite - 

Cassiterite-

.4

.006

.024

1.45 

.03

$7-00 

46.00 

12.00

50.00

4.10

.90

unit

Li2 0. 

unit

BeO. 

short

ton.

 do-- - 

pound- - 

pound

contained

tin.

$10.00 

1.50 

5.50 

1.50

 50

Total- $19.00

The value of tailings as sand is not included.

other beryl- and spodumene-producing districts because 

of the uniformity of beryl distribution in the pegmatite. 

The mineralogy of the pegmatite is a moderately reliable indicator of beryllium-bearing pegmatite, however. Pegmatites that have more than a few percent 

of muscovite in books larger than one-half inch in 

diameter, pegmatites in which the plagioclase contains 

less than 90 percent albite, or pegmatites in which all 

the potash feldspar is distinctly perthitic, are not apt 

to contain very much beryl. The uncommon pockets of

10

beryl that are in muscovite or perthite-rich pegmatites 

are moderately coarse grained and as a consequence 

the beryl is recoverable by hand methods, but few 

pockets are likely to yield as much as a ton of beryl.

The same areas that are favorable for beryl 

prospecting are also favorable for spodumene prospecting. The perthite-rich and muscovite-rich pegmatites 

are as unfavorable as sources of spodumene as they 

are of beryl. Indirect mineralogical evidence is not
needed, however, as the spodumene itself can readily 

be recognized in the outcrops. The former presence 

of spodumene in thoroughly kaolinized pegmatite can 

be determined from the shape of the masses of 

clay that have replaced the spodumene. The 

shape of the spodumene grains in any area must 

be determined by an examination of the fresh 

outcrops as the shapes differ in different parts 

of the belt. It is possible to estimate the 

spodumene content of the outcrops a.nd quickly 

determine what dikes are worthy of further exploration for that mineral.

BERYLLIUM CONTENT OF NON-PEGMATITIC ROCKS 

IN THE PIEDMONT PROVINCE

Samples were taken of various types of rocks in North 

and South Carolina, but economically important beryllium 

concentrations were found only in pegmatite. The results 

of this sampling are given in table 4. The importance of the 

amount of beryllium contained in these samples maybe 

judged by comparing them with the average beryllium content of igneous rocks, about 0.0006 percent (Rankama and 

Bahama, 1951, p. 443), andof clays, 0.004to 0. 0036percent (p. 447).

Table 4. BeO content of rocks other than pegmatite of the tin-spodumene belt, North Carolina

Rock

T^nT>"1 4-ei_ __

AT 4- ci T»ci f^ niiAY>4-'7^ 4-ci _

Andaluslte -hematite 

rock.

Kyanite quartzlte 

Q^yj-? r-t -3 4"^ Qr*Vl1 Cl4"

Tactlte (near Cherryvllle quartz monzonlte). 

Tactlte (near Toluca 

quartz monzonite) . 

Pyrlte and serlclte 

schist.

"V"c iT*ln T "i "1 "1 ^ CTY>flKl"i 4"^ _

\T& ~i TI n i m Y*4~ *7

rPr\i iT>mSl 1 "? Ki^ c?r*Vi "i o 4" _ i r\\ IQ -K»4/ <7

rpc-vptfl 17

Tin --

f)n _ - _ _ __

TV»- - --- - -

Do ___________ _ _

Do-- - -

TTTT-Q v-i -I i~ o _ _ _

Ottrelite serlclte 

schist.

DoPVT»1 t"P» _________ __

Ci^io-i r* ? f~o Y*c »r*l/"

Pyrophyllite -quartz 

rock.

Locality

District

Kings Creek, S. C. 

Jefferson Mountain, 

S. C.' (Kings Mtn. 

quadrangle) .

_ _ rin _ __ _ _____

Henry Knob, S. C. 

 do -

 do - -

2 miles northwest of 

Kings Mountain, N.C.

8 miles northwest of 

Shelby, N. C.

l\To a r> Tin Tina 1\T f*

J> miles northeast of 

Llncolnton, N. C. 

J> miles east of 

Llncolnton, N. C. 

8 miles northwest of 

Shelby, N. C.

Jefferson, S. C. 

 do 

____ rin _ ______ _ _ _ _,

 do 

 do 

_ _ r] n _________ ___ __

___ _r)r,_- ____ __ _ _

___ rto _ _ _ _ __ __

do

Gold Hill, N. C.-, -

Staley, N. C. 

Mine

Kings Mountain gold 

mine.

 do 

Sloan pyrite mine 

Brewer mine" 

 do 

fl,-, _ __ __

 do -

fl,-, _ _ _ _ __ _

rlr, _ __ _ _ _____

 do -

Halle gold mine 

do - -

Pit or 

area

Topaz pit 

Float area 1-

TjIT y-vrj4" HT*^H O

Float area yFloat area 4- 

Northeasternmost 

pit. 

North of 

Brewer 

pit. 

 do 

Tan yard pitBeO 

(percent) 1

2 <0.0003 

< .0003

.0032

3 <.0001 

3 <.0001 

.0005

.0015 

.0072

.0019 

<.0003

.0005 

.0027

< . 0003 

.0022

< . 0003 

<.0003 

.0003 

.0008 

<.0003 

<.0003 

<-0003

<.0003

<.0003

<.0003 

< . 0003 

<.0003 

<.0003 

<.0003

1 BeO determinations by Strock Laboratories, Inc. except as noted.

2 Not detected spectrographically.

3 BeO detenninations by Janet D. Fletcher, U. S. G. S.; BeO not detected, hence less than 0.0001 percent.

*Map designation used by Carl Fries (1942, pi. 7).

11
LITERATURE CITED Keith, Arthur, and Sterrett, D. B., 1931, Description

	of the Gaffney and Kings Mountain quadrangles,

Fries, Carl, 1942, Topaz deposits near the South Carolina and North Carolina: U. S. Geol.

Brewer mine, Chesterfield County; South Survey Geol. Atlas, folio 222.

Carolina: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 936-C, Kesler, T. L., 1942, The tin-spodumene belt of the

p. 59-78. Carolines: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 936-J., p. 245-269.

Griffitts, W, R. and Overstreet, W. C., Rankama, Kalervo, and Sahama, T..G., 1950, Geo1952, Granitic rocks of the western Carolina chemistry: Univ. Chicago Press.

Piedmont: Am. Jour. Science, v. 250, Anonymous, 1952, More spodumene from Kings

p. 777-789. Mountain: Eng. and MIn. Jour., v. 153, p. 95.

12 INT.-DOP. SBC., WASH., D.C SU7»3
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

SURVEY _. CIRCULAR 309 PLATE 1.

35°

EXPLANATION

Approximate boundary of spodumene-rich 

and beryl-rich pegmatite belt

Outline of area discussed in text

7X

Sample locality with number

SAMPLE LOCALITIES IN THE TIN-SPODUMENE BELT

4 Miles
STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Topography by R. E. Burns and W. R. Griffitts,

GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SOLVAY PROCESS COMPANY OPENCUT, KINGS MOUNTA
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

CIRCULAR 309 PLATE 3

EXPLANATION

tomorphic rockt 

(Htavy aathtd lint shout 

approx'mott northmtsttrn 

limit of crystal/'** I mutant)

Kings

GEOLOGIC MAP OF PART OF THE TIN-SPODUMENE BELT SOUTHWEST OF KINGS MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA

500 0 1000 ZOOO 3000 4000 5000 Fit!

Contour intfrvol IOO fttf. Datum is iatatr sta Inft

Bust ond gtology ofltr R M. LlBoro 

HE LtGrond, J.C. Morri« ond 

T. L.KHltr, I93B-I94O; btryllium 

tompling by W. R.Griffitti, 1949.