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Aurora Operations

Producer in Beaufort county in North Carolina, United States with commodities Phosphorus-Phosphates, Fluorine-Fluorite, Uranium
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Mineral occurrence model information
  8. Host and associated rocks
  9. Nearby scientific data
  10. Ore body information
  11. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  12. Mining district
  13. Mineral rights holdings
  14. Land status
  15. Ownership information
  16. Production statistics
  17. Reserves and resources
  18. Workings at the site
  19. Links to other databases
  20. Bibliographic references
  21. General comments
  22. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10175303
MRDS ID ISM0352
MAS/MILS ID 0370130009
Record type Deposit
Current site name Aurora Operations
Alternate or previous names Lee Creek Mine, Pamlico River\n

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -76.80701, 35.36119 (WGS84)
Elevation 3
Location accuracy 100(meters)
Relative position Strip mined area that show as unreclaimed in March 6, 2007 satellite view, reclaimed in 2010 view. At this time (2010) mine extends both north (~2.25 miles) and south (~3.7 miles) from this point.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Beaufort(county)

North Carolina(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Aurora(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Bayboro(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Rocky Mount(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Pamlico(hydrologic unit)

Pamlico(hydrologic accounting unit)

Neuse-Pamlico(hydrologic subregion)

South Atlantic-Gulf(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States North Carolina Beaufort

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Phosphorus-Phosphates Primary
Fluorine-Fluorite Critical Tertiary
Uranium Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Apatite Unknown
Dolomite Unknown
Montmorillonite Unknown
Quartz Unknown

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 244
USGS model code 34d
Deposit model name Phosphate, warm current type

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Unconsolidated Deposit > Clay, Mud
    Rock unit name Pungo River Formation
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Unconsolidated Deposit > Silt
    Rock unit name Pungo River Formation
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Unconsolidated Deposit > Sand and Gravel
    Rock unit name Pungo River Formation
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -76.80701, 35.36119
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 12.2M
    Length 8301M
    Width 8301M
    Area 13000HA
    Depth to top 24M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 MASSIVE
    Type of Orebody #2 DISSEMINATED
    Shape of Orebody #2 IRREGULAR
    Type of Orebody #3 REPLACEMENT
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Secondary mode of Origin RESIDUAL CONCENT
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Secondary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. UNKNOWN
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Minimum Depth to Top 24
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 24
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 24
    Total Surface Area (HA) 13000
    Date of Last Modification 960625

Comments on the ore body information

  • The orebody size is most likely in excess of the area given. Presently PCS has applied for 4000 more acres to mine, but they have 11,000 acres they would like to mine. (http://www.southernenvironment.org/cases/pcs_phosphate_mine). and "The company has identified about 70,000 acres of land in the area that contain economically recoverable phosphate ore." ( http://www.pitchengine.com/southernenvironmentallawcenter/epa-determination-of-unacceptable-environmental-harm-triggers-examination-of-pcs-phosphate-mining-expansion/7269/)

Comments on the geologic information

  • ORE MINERAL IS FRANCOLITE, A FINE-GRAINED MINERAL IN THE APATITE GROUP. MINERAL INFORMATION FROM WEAVER, M. LEE CREEK MINE BUMINES MAS SUMMARY FILE REPORT, OCT. 1980. P. 5.
  • DIMENSIONS ARE IDEALIZED FOR MINABLE AREA. DEPOSIT IS FLATLYING WITH AN AVERAGE DIP OF 3 METERS PER MILE IN A SE DIRECTION.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Both
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1951
Mining method Strip-Level
Year of first production 1966
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Milling method Flotation
Production years Still in production in 2010

Mining district

District name North Carolina Phosphate District
District name Pungo River District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Fee Ownership

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Potash Corp. Of Saskatchewan
    Interest 100
    Home office Canada
    Year 1995
    First year 1995
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Texasgulf Chemicals Co.
    ID 3100212
    Interest 100
    Home office Connecticut
    Year 1985
    Last year 1995

Comments on the ownership information

  • TEXAS GULF CHEMICALS IS A SUBSIDIARY OF SOCIETE NATIONALE ELF AQUITAINE, THE FRENCH NATIONALLY-OWNED OIL COMPANY. AT THE YEAR-END OF 1985, TEXASGULF CHEMICALS CO. PURCHASED NORTH CAROLINA PHOSPHATE CORP.; AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE RESERVES OF NORTH CAROLINA PHOSPHATE CORP. WERE MADE A PART OF THE LEE CREEK MINE RESERVES. POTASH CORP. OF SASKATCHEWAN PURCHASED TEXASGULF IN MAY OF 1995

Production statistics

  • Year 1970
    Ore mined 3212000mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 14% P2o5 3212000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 14wt-pct
  • Year 1971
    Ore mined 3179000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 14% P2o5 3179000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 14wt-pct
  • Year 1972
    Ore mined 2965000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 14% P2o5 2965000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 2965000mt 14wt-pct
  • Year 1973
    Ore mined 3289000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 13% P2o5 3289000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 3289000mt 13wt-pct
  • Year 1974
    Ore mined 4675000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 13% P2o5 4675000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 4675000mt 13wt-pct
  • Year 1975
    Ore mined 4835000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 13% P2o5 4835000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 4835000mt 13wt-pct
  • Year 1976
    Ore mined 4644000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 13% P2o5 4644000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 4644000mt 13wt-pct
  • Year 1977
    Ore mined 6004000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 13% P2o5 6004000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 6004000mt 13wt-pct
  • Year 1978
    Ore mined 6619000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 13% P2o5 6619000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 6619000mt 13wt-pct
  • Year 1979
    Ore mined 7793000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 14% P2o5 7793000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 7793000mt 14wt-pct
  • Year 1980
    Ore mined 8577000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 14% P2o5 8577000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 8577000mt 14wt-pct
  • Year 1981
    Ore mined 8015000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 15% P2o5 8015000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 8015000mt 15wt-pct
  • Year 1982
    Material This number looks like a typo. I think it should be 8,345,000 mt.
    Ore mined 3345000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 14% P2o5 3345000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 3345000mt 14wt-pct
  • Year 1983
    Ore mined 8350000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 15% P2o5 8350000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 8350000mt 15wt-pct
  • Year 1984
    Ore mined 10552000mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 15% P2o5 10552000 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1055200mt 15wt-pct
  • Year 1985
    Ore mined 10624700mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 14.5% P205 10624700 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1062470mt 15wt-pct
  • Year 1986
    Ore mined 10204300mt
    Description Average Grade Of Ore Mined = 14.8% P205 10204300 Mtpy Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major P2O5 Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1020430mt 15wt-pct
  • Year 2010
    Period 1968-2009
    Material This tonnage phosphate rock produced more than 169,500,000 metric tons concentrate. Grade not specified.
    Ore mined 400900000mt
    Accuracy Accurate

Comments on the production information

  • TEXAS GULF CHEMICALS IS A SUBSIDIARY OF SOCIETE NATIONALE ELF AQUITAINE, THE FRENCH NATIONALLY-OWNED OIL COMPANY. AT THE YEAR-END OF 1985, TEXASGULF CHEMICALS CO. PURCHASED NORTH CAROLINA PHOSPHATE CORP.; AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE RESERVES OF NORTH CAROLINA PHOSPHATE CORP. WERE MADE A PART OF THE LEE CREEK MINE RESERVES. POTASH CORP. OF SASKATCHEWAN PURCHASED TEXASGULF IN MAY OF 1995 THE LEE CREEK MINE PRODUCES 2 PRODUCTS: A SINGLE-FLOAT PRODUCT 27.5% P2O5 (PROD REC. B) THAT IS USED IN THE ADJACENT CHEMICAL PLANT AND CONSISTS ON THE AVERAGE 80% OF TOTAL MILL PRODUCTION, AND A DOUBLE-FLOAT PRODUCT, "ROCK PRODUCT" 30.5% P2O5 (PROD REC A) THAT IS SOLD F.O.B. MOREHEAD CITY, N.C., AND CONSISTS OF 20% OF TOTAL MILL PRODUCTION.
  • Estimates: 1.80 CUBIC METERS ORE/TONNE PRODUCT. MINING RECOVERY = 95%. ROCK PRODUCT, 30.5% P2O5 BARGED 93 KM THROUGH INTERCOASTAL CANAL TO MOREHEAD CITY. WASHING PLANT RECOVERY INCLUDES SLURRY LOSSES. RECOVERY FOR PRODUCT A IS 18.4% AND FOR PRODUCT B IS 66.6%.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1979
    Total resources 1921449000mt
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Fluorine-Fluorite 1.3999 wt-pct Fluorine Tertiary 1979
    Uranium U 0.0031 wt-pct Uranium Tertiary 1979
    Phosphorus-Phosphates P2O5 12.28 wt-pct Phosphorus Primary 1979

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • USBM ADIT RESOURCES ARE COMBINED LEE CREEK AND NORTH CAROLINA PHOSPHATE (MAS SEQ.NO.0370130001).
  • The resource numbers were included in the old Pamlico River record (MAS id 0370130017, also known as MRDS Dep_ID 10247973). In MAS, those resources were called "proven recoverable reserves." I don't know if they meet the current definition of reserves. The source of this information was probably TexasGulf, Inc. 10-K report in 1979.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 12400HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method STRIP-LEVEL
    Swell Factor .91
    Percent Waste Rock 67
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 24
    Primary Material Cover SAND, SILT
    Percentage 100
    Hardness of Ore SAND, SILT
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 18
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 60
    Capacity 34300
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Preprod. Stripping Vol. 0
    Unit Production Cost 1.92
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 350
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1985

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Ownership

    MINING ENGINEERING, MAY, 1995, P. 407.

  • Production

    PA1,PA2) WORLD MINING, WORLD MINES REGISTER 1981-82

  • Deposit

    BROWN, P.M. THE RELATION OF PHOSPHATES TO GROUND WATER IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. ECON. GEOL., V. 53, 1958, PP. 85-101.

  • Deposit

    CALDWELL, A.B. LEE CREEK OPEN-PIT MINE AND FERTILIZER PLANTS. ENG. AND MIN. J., JAN. 1968, PP. 59-82.

  • Deposit

    HIRD, J.M. CONTROL OF ARTESIAN GROUND WATER IN STRIP MINING PHOSPHATE ORES - EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. PRESENTATION AT AIME ANNUAL CONF., DENVER, COLO., FEB., 1970, 11 PP.

  • Deposit

    HIRD, J.M. OVERBURDEN STRIPPING - COMBINATION USE OF DREDGE AND DRAGLINE. MIN. ENG., MAR., 1980, PP. 311-314.

  • Deposit

    KIMERY, J.O. DESCRIPTION OF THE PUNGO RIVER FORMATION IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. NORTH CAROLINA DEPT. OF CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT BULL. 79, 1968, 131 PP.

  • Deposit

    --PIT AND QUARRY. TEXASGULF SULPHUR CO. JANUARY, 1969, PP. 125-138.

  • Deposit

    ROONEY, T.P. AND P.F. KERR. MINERALOGIC NATURE AND ORIGIN OF PHOSPHORITE, BEAUFORT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. GEOL. SOC. AM. BULL., V. 78, JUNE, 1967, PP. 731-748.

  • Deposit

    STUCKEY, J.L. NORTH CAROLINA: ITS GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES. NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT, RALEIGH, 1965, 550 PP.

  • Deposit

    TEXASGULF INC. 10-K REPORT, 1979, PP. 1-3.

  • Deposit

    ZELLARS-WILLIAMS, INC. EVALUATION OF THE PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS OF GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA, AND SOUTH CAROLINA USING THE MINERALS AVAILABILITY SYSTEM. BUMINES OPEN FILE REPORT 14-79.

  • Deposit

    JOHN M. HIRD, LEE CREEK MINE MANAGER, TEXASGULF CHEMICALS CO.; 8/12/87 TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH LEE OSMONSON.

  • Deposit

    U.S. BUREAU OF MINES. 1985 MINERALS YEARBOOK, VOL. 2, AREA REPORTS: DOMESTIC, P. 429.

  • Deposit

    U.S. BUREAU OF MINES. COMPILATION OF PROPRIETARY, INDIVIDUAL COMPANY, PRODUCTION STATISTICS (FOR THE YEARS 1985 AND 1986).

  • Deposit

    USGS; GSC LISTS , JULY 95.

  • Deposit

    BRITISH SULPHUR CORP. LTD., 1980: WORLD SURVEY OF PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS, 4TH ED., LONDON

  • Deposit

    REDEKER, I.H., and WRIGHT, TH.J., 1979: PHOSPHATE MINING IN NORTH CAROLINA, ERZMETALL BD.32, (1979), H.2.

  • Deposit

    Marston North Carolina, P.C. (Terry Kremmel, P.E. writer), 2010, Aurora Operations 2010 Resource and Reserve update technical report: Marston, North Carolina P.C. (Marston) NI 43-101 compliant report for PCS Phosphate Company, Inc., a subsidiary of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, Inc. 120. p.

  • Deposit

    Riggs, S.R., 2005, Phosphate deposits of the North Carolina coastal plain, continental shelf and adjacent Blake Plateau, USA, in Notholt, A.J.G., Sheldon, R.P., and Davidson, D.F., eds., Phosphate deposits of the world, Volume 2, Phosphate rock resources: Cambridge Earth Science Series v.2, 600 p.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit AS OF JULY 95, USGS GSC ID #ISM0352. JULY 95 ISMI LIST HAS LAT/LONG OF N35-22-47/W0764710, SLIGHITLY DIFFERENT THAN LAT/LONG LISTED IN MAS/MILS. OTHER MAP NAMES: AURORA, SOUTH CREEK, RANSOMVILLE, EDWARD, BAYBORO AND REELSBORO.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 09-OCT-96 Hite, Alan G. U.S. Bureau of Mines
Updater 10-NOV-10 Causey, J. Douglas U.S. Geological Survey Added data from duplicate records Dep_id 10024627, 10247973 and deleted those records.
Reporter 01-JAN-83 Saam, Henning, G. Bundesanstalt Fuer Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffee (Germany) Reporter on duplcate record.
Updater 01-JUN-91 Klein, T.L. U.S. Geological Survey Updater on duplicate record
Reporter 25-JUN-96 Weaver, M.A. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

Current status (per MSHA)

StatusActive since 05/01/2008
MSHA mine ID3100212
Mine name (MSHA)Lee Creek Mine
Current operatorPCS Phosphate Company Inc
Current controller (parent)Nutrien LTD
Mine typeSurface (Metal / non-metal)

MSHA cross-reference per the original MRDS record. Mine status and operator reflect MSHA's last published Mines export (February 2025); MSHA's public bulk feed has been unavailable since, so this may be out of date. See the Mine Data Retrieval System for current status.

Open MSHA's Mine Data Retrieval System for inspections, accidents, and violations for this mine.

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