Forsterite Olivine Deposits of North Carolina and Georgia
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GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ZACK D. CR.\YEY, GommissioneT DIVISION OF MINES, MINING AND GEOLOGY G,\.RLAKn PEYTOK, DiTectoT BULLETIN NUMBER 47 FORSTERITE OLIVINE DEPOSITS OF NORTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA By CHARLES E. HUNTER UncleT the DiTection of H. S. RANKIN PUBLISHED IN COOPERATiON WITH THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY ATLANTA 1941 STATE OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF MINES, MINING AND GEOLOGY Cordially invites you to visit its various branches maintained for the purpose of furthering the development of the MINERAL RESOURCES OF. GEORGIA At the service of the public are the scientific reference library, the general information bureau, the laboratory for the free determination of mineral specimens found in the State, and the fine museum containing excellent representa tive samples of Georgia minerals. The time and attention of the Director of the Division of Mines, Mining and Geology as well as that of his technical staff are also at your disposal. Office hours: 8 a. m. to 4 p. m. Saturday, 8 a. m. to 12 m. CAPTAIN GARLAND PEYTON, DIRECTOR 425 State Capitol Atlanta, Georgia CONTENTS Page Letter of Transmittal__________________________________________________________________ 8 Preface ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9 Summary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 1n trod u cti on ---------------------------------------------------------------- _______________ _ 14 Hi story of Development-------------------------------------------------- 18 Review of Research _____________________________________________________ _ 19 Research in Progress ------------------------------------------------- 19 Present Commercial Use -------------------------------------------- 20 Future Use of Olivine-------------------------------------------------- 20 Acknowledgments and Field Work___________________________________________ 21 Regional Geology ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 21 Geology of Peridotites ---------------------------------------------------------------- 24 Dunites and Saxonites -------------------------------------------------------- 24 Associ a ted Minerals ____________ ---------------------------------------- 28 S erp entin izati on ________ ------------------------ _________________________ _ 30 S teati tizati on ------------------------------------------------------------- 36 Contact Metamorphism ---------------------------------------------- 36 Weathering ------------------------------------------------------------------ 38 Description of Areas and Deposits ___________________________________________ _ 38 Reserves of Olivine ------------------------------------------------------------ 38 Table of Tonnages ------------------------------------------------------ 42 Frank Area -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 43 Frank Deposit ------------------------------------------------------------- 43 p etrographic Analysis ---------------------------------------- 47 8 enia D ep osi t ------------------------------------------------------------- 47 Other Deposits in Frank Area ---------------------------------- 47 Toecane Area ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 48 Day Book Deposit ------------------------------------------------------- 48 Chemical Analysis --------------------------------------------- 52 Petrographic Analysis ---------------------------------------- 52 P. C. E. Value ------------------------------------------------------- 53 Newdale Deposit ------------------------------------------------ _______ _ 53 Chemical Analysis ------------------------------ ___________ _ 57 P. C. E. Value-----------·-----------------------·--·----·--------·--------- 57 Bakersville Deposit ----------------------------- _______ _______ ___ 57 Other Deposits in Toecane Area------------------------------- 57 Canton- D emocr at Area --------------------------------------------------- ___ 58 Holcombe Branch Deposit ------------------------------------------ 58 Petrographic Analysis ------------------------------------- __ 60 P. C. E. Value_______________________________________________ ________ 61 4 FORSTERITE OLIVINE DEPOSITS CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Page Description of Areas and Deposits-Continued: Derr10cr at Deposit ----------------------------"--------------------------- 61 Chemical Analysis ---------------------------------------------- 63 Petrographic Analysis ---------------------------------------- 63 Juno Deposit (Serpentine) ---------------------------------------- 63 Petrographic Analysis --------------------------- ____________ 64 P. C. E. Value ------------------------------------------------------- 64 Newfound Gap Deposit ---------------------------------------------- 65 P. C. E. Value________________________________________________________ 65 Hominy Grove Deposit ----------------------------------------------- 65 Webster-Balsam Area -------------------------------------------------------- 67 Balsam Deposit ------------------------------------------------------------ 6 7 Chemical Analysis ---------------------------------------------- 71 P. C. E. Value-------------------------------------------------------- 73 Petrographic Analysis ---------------------------------------- 73 Middleton Deposit ------------------------------------------------------ 7 4 Dark Ridge Deposit---------------------------------------------------- 75 Chemical Analysis ---------------------------------------------- 78 P. C. E. Value-------------------------------------------------------- 7 9 P etrogra p hie Analysis ---------------------------------------- 7 9 Addie Deposit -------------------------------------------------------------- 80 Chemical Analysis ---------------------------------------------- 85 P. C. E. Value ------------------------------------------------------- 85 Petrographic Analysis ------------------------------~--------- 86 Cane Creek D ep osi t ---------------------------------------------------- 8 7 Chemical Analysis ---------------------------------------------- 89 P. C. E. Value________________________________________________________ 90 Petrographic Analysis ---------------------------------------- 90 Webster Deposit ---------------------------------------------------------- 91 Chemical Analysis ---------------------------------------------- 94 P. C. E. Value________________________________________________________ 95 Petrographic Analysis ________________ ________________________ 95 P. C. E. Value-------------------------------------------------------- 97 Other Deposits in Webster-Balsam Area _________________ 97 Ellijay Area ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 98 Moores Knob Deposit ------------------------------------------------ 98 Chemical Analysis ----------------------------------------- ____ 99 P. C. E. Value ------------------------------------------------------ 99 Ellijay Creek ---------------------------------------------------------------- 100 OF NORTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA 5 CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Page Description of Areas and Deposits-Continued: Deposit Number Nine ------------------------------------------------ 100 Chemical Analysis ---------------------------------------------- 102 P. C. E. Value ________________________________________________________ 102 Petrographic Analysis ---------------------------------------- 102 Corund urn Hill Deposit ---------------------------------------------- 104 Chemical Analysis ---------------------------------------------- 105 P. C. E. Value ------------------------------------------------------- 105 Petrographic Analysis ---------------------------------------- 105 Nor ton Deposit ------------------------------------------------------------ 106 Chemical Analysis ---------------------------------------------- 106 P. C. E. Value ------------------------------------------------------- 106 Petrographic Analysis ---------------------------------------- 107 Other Deposits in Ellijay Area __________________________________ 107 Buck Creek-Shooting Creek Area-------------------------------------- 107 Buck Creek Deposit------------------------------------------------------ 108 Chemical Analysis ---------------------------------------------- 110 P. C. E. Value-------------------------------------------------------- 110 Petrographic Analysis ---------------------------------------- 110 Burton Lake Area -------------------------------------------------------------- 112 Burton Lake Deposit -------------------------------------------------- 112 Chemical Analysis ---------------------------------------------- 113 P. C. E. Value ------------------------------------------------------- 113 Petrographic Analysis ---------------------------------------- 113 Laurel Creek Area --------------------------------------------------------------- 113 Laurel Creek Deposit -------------------------------------------------- 114 Chemical Analysis ---------------------------------------------- 116 Petrographic Analysis ---------------------------------------- 116 P. C. E. Value ------------------------------------------------------- 116 Other Deposits in Laurel Creek Area _______________________ 116 ILLUSTRATIONS Plate Page 1. Forsterite olivine showing chromite-Balsam Gap, N. C ·---------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 2. Domestic basic refractories Principal sources and consuming centers_____________________