Ref.: Rocks & Min.: 60:92. A feldspar mine located 1.7 miles NW of Spruce Pine.

Ref.: Dennis Herman concerning locality (Sullins Branch Mine), "Having lived in the Spruce Pine area during the 1960s and early 70s, I am familiar with most of the mines in that region. The specimen is not the problem with the locality, it's that the locality name is not entirely accurate. The Southers Branch Mine is a misinterpretation of the regional dialect, and the actual mine is (was) the Sullins Branch Mine. There is no stream called Southers Branch in Mitchell County, or in the entire Spruce Pine mining district. One of the few references that mention a Southers Branch Mine near Spruce Pine is the NC Geological Survey website, and they have a question mark (?) after the mine name indicating there is some confusion."

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List

ⓘ 'Garnet Group'

ⓘ Opal

ⓘ var. Opal-AN

ⓘ Orthoclase

2 valid minerals.

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ 'Garnet Group'

Formula: X₃Z₂(SiO₄)₃

References:

Rocks & Min.: 60:92.

ⓘ Opal

Formula: SiO₂ · nH₂O

References:

Rocks & Min.: 60:92.

ⓘ Opal var. Opal-AN

Formula: SiO₂ · nH₂O

References:

Rocks & Min.: 60:92.

ⓘ Orthoclase

Formula: K(AlSi₃O₈)

Colour: Pink

References:

Rocks & Min.: 60:92.

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘ	Opal var. Opal-AN	4.DA.10	SiO₂ · nH₂O
ⓘ	4.DA.10	SiO₂ · nH₂O
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘ	Orthoclase	9.FA.30	K(AlSi₃O₈)
Unclassified
ⓘ	'Garnet Group'	-	X₃Z₂(SiO₄)₃

List of minerals for each chemical element

H	Hydrogen
H	ⓘ Opal var. Opal-AN	SiO₂ · nH₂O
H	ⓘ Opal	SiO₂ · nH₂O
O	Oxygen
O	ⓘ Opal var. Opal-AN	SiO₂ · nH₂O
O	ⓘ Opal	SiO₂ · nH₂O
O	ⓘ Orthoclase	K(AlSi₃O₈)
O	ⓘ Garnet Group	X₃Z₂(SiO₄)₃
Al	Aluminium
Al	ⓘ Orthoclase	K(AlSi₃O₈)
Si	Silicon
Si	ⓘ Opal var. Opal-AN	SiO₂ · nH₂O
Si	ⓘ Opal	SiO₂ · nH₂O
Si	ⓘ Orthoclase	K(AlSi₃O₈)
Si	ⓘ Garnet Group	X₃Z₂(SiO₄)₃
K	Potassium
K	ⓘ Orthoclase	K(AlSi₃O₈)

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent

North America PlateTectonic Plate

Great Smoky Mountains Rift BasinBasin
PedmontiaAccretionary Complex
Piedmontia DomainDomain

USA

North Carolina
- Spruce Pine Mining DistrictMining District
⭔Southeastern United StatesArea

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