Union County North Carolina

MINES:

Black Mine - 2 miles south of Indian Trail, produced free and lode gold, with pyrite.

Bonnie Belle Mine - produced free gold, with pyrite.

Crowell Mine - located in extreme northwest corner of county, on dumps you can find gold showings with zinc.

Crump Mine - 2 miles south of Indian Trail, produced free and lode gold, with pyrite. Crump Mine, is located 4 miles south from Stout's Station, on the Carolina Central Railroad. It is noted for its remarkable pockets, and splendid and peculiar nuggets, in which gold occurs.

Fox Hill Mine - 2 miles south of Indian Trail, produced free and lode gold, with pyrite.

Howie Mine - 3 miles northwest of Mineral Springs, was largest mine in county, operated 1840-1942, total production estimated at 41,300 ozs. of lode gold through 1934. It was called the Condor Mine 1940-42, it was the largest gold producer in North Carolina. In all area stream, bench, and slopewash gravels you can find placer gold. On adjoining slopes, stringers in schist impregnated with fine-grained quartz bearing pyrite and gold. It was developed some time before 1840 as a consequence of placer mining in the vicinity. The lodes were quickly exploited, yielding an estimated $250,000 in 1854. After a period of idleness brought on by the Civil War, the mine was again opened in 1885 and remained active on a small scale at Intervals until 1934. No activity was reported from 1934-1959. Estimated production of the mine was about 50,000 ounces of gold.

Lemmonds (Marion) Mine - 2 miles south of Indian Trail, produced free and lode gold, with pyrite

Long Mine - southwest corner of county, produced by-product gold, with copper, lead, and zinc.

Moore Hill Mine - 2 miles south of Indian Trail, produced free and lode gold, with pyrite. 3 miles southeast of the Long Mine.

New South Mine - 2 miles south of Indian Trail, produced free and lode gold, with pyrite.

Phifer Mine - 2 miles south of Indian Trail, produced free and lode gold.

Secrest Mine - 2 miles south of Indian Trail, produced free and lode gold.

Smart Mine - 2 miles south of Indian Trail, produced free and lode gold.

Washington Mine - produced free gold, with pyrite.

SUGGESTED PROSPECTING AREAS:

Rocky River

Reported By: Brian Helms

Rocky river that flows through Stanly, Cabarrus, and Union counties and all of it's tributaries contain some amount of gold in stream gravel. In many cases the gold is in clay with stream gravel in it. Some streams are mostly bedrock and are easy pickings. Best places on the river are in lower Cabarrus through Stanly county. Several 1 ounce nuggets have been found throughtout the area. I have heard stories of bigger but not from a reliable source.

Waxhaw - located in west-central part of county, much of the area stream gravels, original placer gold discoveries extensively worked.