Record #:

7304

Author(s):

Burgess, Carla B.

Abstract:

North Carolina has a rich history in minerals and gems, with more than three hundred kinds of minerals and gemstones scattered through three geographic regions. It is the only state in the nation in which all four of the major gems--diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires--have been found. The first gold rush in the country began in Cabarrus County in 1799. The largest emerald ever discovered in North America was found in western North Carolina in 1984, and gold mined from the same region supplied the U.S. Mint in Charlotte from 1837 to 1861.

Source:

Carolina Country (NoCar HD 9688 N8 C38x), Vol. 37 Issue 4, Apr 2005, p14-15, il

Subject(s):

Minerals; Gems