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North American Emerald Mine, Hiddenite, Alexander County, North Carolina, USAi
Regional Level Types
North American Emerald MineMine
HiddeniteCensus Area
Alexander CountyCounty
North CarolinaState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
35° 54' 52'' North , 81° 4' 19'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Hiddenite536 (2017)2.1km
Stony Point1,317 (2017)6.1km
Taylorsville2,078 (2017)9.4km
Statesville26,221 (2017)22.2km
Moravian Falls1,901 (2017)22.6km
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
ClubLocationDistance
The Catawba Valley Gem & Mineral ClubHickory, North Carolina32km
Mindat Locality ID:
19740
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:19740:6
GUID (UUID V4):
0
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
NAEM; Rist Mine; American Gems Mine; LKA International Emerald Mine


A gemstone occurrence/mine located 1.2 km (0.75 mi) N of Hiddenite, on private land. Operated by Emerald Valley Mines (ID: 3101636) (1978). MRDS database stated accuracy for this location is 100 meters.

Originally known as the Rist Mine, but also known as American Gems Mine, LKA International Emerald Mine, and recently (since 1995), the North American Emerald Mine (specimen labels may be abbreviated NAEM = North American Emerald Mine). This locality is the type location for the chromian spodumene called hiddenite named for William E. (Earl) Hidden, and the town is named for the variety. This location is the most important North American emerald locality.

An Alpine-cleft emerald deposit. Local rocks include biotite gneiss and schist.

Workings include unspecified surface openings.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.


Mineral List


33 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

Albite
Formula: Na(AlSi3O8)
Albite var. Oligoclase
Formula: (Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
Almandine
Formula: Fe2+3Al2(SiO4)3
Description: Garnets are a Almandine- Pyrope chemistry.
Ankerite
Formula: Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
'Apatite'
Formula: Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
Arsenopyrite
Formula: FeAsS
Beryl
Formula: Be3Al2(Si6O18)
Beryl var. Aquamarine
Formula: Be3Al2Si6O18
Beryl var. Emerald
Formula: Be3Al2(Si6O18)
Beryl var. Goshenite
Formula: Be3Al2(Si6O18)
'Biotite'
Formula: K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
'Chabazite'
Chabazite-Ca
Formula: (Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O
Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
Clinochlore
Formula: Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Diopside
Formula: CaMgSi2O6
Dolomite
Formula: CaMg(CO3)2
Ferrosilite
Formula: Fe2+2Si2O6
Fluorapatite
Formula: Ca5(PO4)3F
Galena
Formula: PbS
Gersdorffite
Formula: NiAsS
Goethite
Formula: Fe3+O(OH)
Graphite
Formula: C
Grossular
Formula: Ca3Al2(SiO4)3
Kaolinite
Formula: Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Molybdenite
Formula: MoS2
Monazite-(Ce)
Formula: Ce(PO4)
Muscovite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
Pyrrhotite
Formula: Fe1-xS
Quartz
Formula: SiO2
Quartz var. Amethyst
Formula: SiO2
Quartz var. Bull Quartz
Formula: SiO2
Quartz var. Citrine
Formula: SiO2
Quartz var. Rock Crystal
Formula: SiO2
Quartz var. Smoky Quartz
Formula: SiO2
Rutile
Formula: TiO2
Schorl
Formula: NaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Siderite
Formula: FeCO3
Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS
Spodumene
Formula: LiAlSi2O6
Spodumene var. Hiddenite
Formula: LiAlSi2O6
Titanite
Formula: CaTi(SiO4)O
'Tourmaline'
Formula: AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
Xenotime-(Y)
Formula: Y(PO4)
Zircon
Formula: Zr(SiO4)

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
Graphite1.CB.05aC
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
Sphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
Chalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
Pyrrhotite2.CC.10Fe1-xS
Galena2.CD.10PbS
Molybdenite2.EA.30MoS2
Pyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Arsenopyrite2.EB.20FeAsS
Gersdorffite2.EB.25NiAsS
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
Goethite4.00.Fe3+O(OH)
Quartz
var. Amethyst
4.DA.05SiO2
var. Citrine4.DA.05SiO2
4.DA.05SiO2
var. Smoky Quartz4.DA.05SiO2
var. Rock Crystal4.DA.05SiO2
var. Bull Quartz4.DA.05SiO2
Rutile4.DB.05TiO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
Calcite5.AB.05CaCO3
Siderite5.AB.05FeCO3
Ankerite5.AB.10Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Dolomite5.AB.10CaMg(CO3)2
Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
Xenotime-(Y)8.AD.35Y(PO4)
Monazite-(Ce)8.AD.50Ce(PO4)
Fluorapatite8.BN.05Ca5(PO4)3F
Group 9 - Silicates
Almandine9.AD.25Fe2+3Al2(SiO4)3
Grossular9.AD.25Ca3Al2(SiO4)3
Zircon9.AD.30Zr(SiO4)
Titanite9.AG.15CaTi(SiO4)O
Beryl
var. Aquamarine
9.CJ.05Be3Al2Si6O18
9.CJ.05Be3Al2(Si6O18)
var. Emerald9.CJ.05Be3Al2(Si6O18)
var. Goshenite9.CJ.05Be3Al2(Si6O18)
Schorl9.CK.05NaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Ferrosilite9.DA.05Fe2+2Si2O6
Diopside9.DA.15CaMgSi2O6
Spodumene9.DA.30LiAlSi2O6
var. Hiddenite9.DA.30LiAlSi2O6
Muscovite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Clinochlore9.EC.55Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Kaolinite9.ED.05Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Albite9.FA.35Na(AlSi3O8)
var. Oligoclase9.FA.35(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
Chabazite-Ca9.GD.10(Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O
Unclassified
'Biotite'-K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
'Chabazite'-
'Tourmaline'-AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
'Apatite'-Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
H BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
H ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
H GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
H KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
H MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
H SchorlNaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
H Chabazite-Ca(Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O
H ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
LiLithium
Li SpodumeneLiAlSi2O6
Li Spodumene var. HiddeniteLiAlSi2O6
BeBeryllium
Be Beryl var. AquamarineBe3Al2Si6O18
Be BerylBe3Al2(Si6O18)
Be Beryl var. EmeraldBe3Al2(Si6O18)
Be Beryl var. GosheniteBe3Al2(Si6O18)
BBoron
B SchorlNaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
B TourmalineAD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
CCarbon
C AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
C CalciteCaCO3
C DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
C GraphiteC
C SideriteFeCO3
OOxygen
O AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
O Quartz var. AmethystSiO2
O AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
O Beryl var. AquamarineBe3Al2Si6O18
O AlmandineFe32+Al2(SiO4)3
O BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
O BerylBe3Al2(Si6O18)
O CalciteCaCO3
O Quartz var. CitrineSiO2
O ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
O DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
O DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
O Beryl var. EmeraldBe3Al2(Si6O18)
O FerrosiliteFe22+Si2O6
O FluorapatiteCa5(PO4)3F
O GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
O GrossularCa3Al2(SiO4)3
O KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
O Monazite-(Ce)Ce(PO4)
O MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
O Albite var. Oligoclase(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
O QuartzSiO2
O RutileTiO2
O SchorlNaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
O SideriteFeCO3
O Quartz var. Smoky QuartzSiO2
O SpodumeneLiAlSi2O6
O TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O
O TourmalineAD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
O Xenotime-(Y)Y(PO4)
O ZirconZr(SiO4)
O Quartz var. Rock CrystalSiO2
O Chabazite-Ca(Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O
O Beryl var. GosheniteBe3Al2(Si6O18)
O Spodumene var. HiddeniteLiAlSi2O6
O Quartz var. Bull QuartzSiO2
O ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
FFluorine
F BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
F FluorapatiteCa5(PO4)3F
F ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
NaSodium
Na AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Na Albite var. Oligoclase(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
Na SchorlNaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Na Chabazite-Ca(Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O
MgMagnesium
Mg AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Mg BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Mg ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Mg DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Mg DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
AlAluminium
Al AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Al Beryl var. AquamarineBe3Al2Si6O18
Al AlmandineFe32+Al2(SiO4)3
Al BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Al BerylBe3Al2(Si6O18)
Al ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Al Beryl var. EmeraldBe3Al2(Si6O18)
Al GrossularCa3Al2(SiO4)3
Al KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Al MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Al Albite var. Oligoclase(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
Al SchorlNaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Al SpodumeneLiAlSi2O6
Al Chabazite-Ca(Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O
Al Beryl var. GosheniteBe3Al2(Si6O18)
Al Spodumene var. HiddeniteLiAlSi2O6
SiSilicon
Si AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Si Quartz var. AmethystSiO2
Si Beryl var. AquamarineBe3Al2Si6O18
Si AlmandineFe32+Al2(SiO4)3
Si BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Si BerylBe3Al2(Si6O18)
Si Quartz var. CitrineSiO2
Si ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Si DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Si Beryl var. EmeraldBe3Al2(Si6O18)
Si FerrosiliteFe22+Si2O6
Si GrossularCa3Al2(SiO4)3
Si KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Si MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Si Albite var. Oligoclase(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
Si QuartzSiO2
Si SchorlNaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Si Quartz var. Smoky QuartzSiO2
Si SpodumeneLiAlSi2O6
Si TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O
Si ZirconZr(SiO4)
Si Quartz var. Rock CrystalSiO2
Si Chabazite-Ca(Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O
Si Beryl var. GosheniteBe3Al2(Si6O18)
Si Spodumene var. HiddeniteLiAlSi2O6
Si Quartz var. Bull QuartzSiO2
PPhosphorus
P FluorapatiteCa5(PO4)3F
P Monazite-(Ce)Ce(PO4)
P Xenotime-(Y)Y(PO4)
P ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
SSulfur
S ArsenopyriteFeAsS
S ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
S GalenaPbS
S GersdorffiteNiAsS
S MolybdeniteMoS2
S PyriteFeS2
S PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
S SphaleriteZnS
ClChlorine
Cl ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
KPotassium
K BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
K MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
K Chabazite-Ca(Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O
CaCalcium
Ca AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Ca CalciteCaCO3
Ca DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Ca DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Ca FluorapatiteCa5(PO4)3F
Ca GrossularCa3Al2(SiO4)3
Ca Albite var. Oligoclase(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
Ca TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O
Ca Chabazite-Ca(Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O
Ca ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
TiTitanium
Ti BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Ti RutileTiO2
Ti TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O
FeIron
Fe AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Fe ArsenopyriteFeAsS
Fe AlmandineFe32+Al2(SiO4)3
Fe BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Fe ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Fe FerrosiliteFe22+Si2O6
Fe GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
Fe PyriteFeS2
Fe PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
Fe SchorlNaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Fe SideriteFeCO3
NiNickel
Ni GersdorffiteNiAsS
CuCopper
Cu ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
ZnZinc
Zn SphaleriteZnS
AsArsenic
As ArsenopyriteFeAsS
As GersdorffiteNiAsS
YYttrium
Y Xenotime-(Y)Y(PO4)
ZrZirconium
Zr ZirconZr(SiO4)
MoMolybdenum
Mo MolybdeniteMoS2
CeCerium
Ce Monazite-(Ce)Ce(PO4)
PbLead
Pb GalenaPbS

Other Databases

Wikipedia:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiddenite_Gem_Mines
Wikidata ID:Q5752118
Link to USGS MRDS:10297202

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
USA

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