Bessemer City

Prospect in Gaston county in North Carolina, United States with commodities Lithium, Feldspar, Mica, Beryllium
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Host and associated rocks
  7. Nearby scientific data
  8. Geologic structures
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mining district
  11. Ownership information
  12. Reserves and resources
  13. Links to other databases
  14. Bibliographic references
  15. General comments
  16. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10024735
MRDS ID ISM0480
Record type Site
Current site name Bessemer City
Alternate or previous names Gastonia, Hallman-Beam Property
Related records 10151188

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -81.18315, 35.33343 (WGS84)
Relative position MINE

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Gaston(county)

North Carolina(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Gastonia North(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Gastonia(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Charlotte(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

South Fork Catawba(hydrologic unit)

Santee(hydrologic accounting unit)

Edisto-Santee(hydrologic subregion)

South Atlantic-Gulf(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States North Carolina Gaston

Comments on the location information

  • 210 KM S OF PERTH,70 KM S OF BUNBURY (RAIL CONNECTION,PORT FACILITIES)
  • MINE & MILL 6KM NW OF BESSEMER CITY,NEAR CHERRYVILLE.DISTANCE,MILL-CHEMICAL PLANT:10KM

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Lithium Critical Primary
Feldspar Primary
Mica Primary
Beryllium Critical Primary

Comments on the commodity information

  • LITHIUM (SN,NB,TA,CLY3)
  • LITHIUM

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Monzonite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Schist
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Amphibolite
    Rock unit name Blacksburg-Formation;Cherryville-Qtz Monzonite
    Rock description Blacksburg-Formation;Cherryville-Qtz Monzonite

Nearby scientific data

(1) -81.18315, 35.33343

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Kings Mountain-& Inner Piedmont-Belts

Comments on the geologic information

  • WEATHERING,RESIDUAL ENRICHMENT; TERT-QUAT; LI-ORE:SPODUMENE,QUARTZ,MINOR: ALBITE.MICROCLINE,APATITE.; COMPLEX RARA METAL PEGMATITE WITH DEEP ELUVIALPROFILE AND ALLUVIAL CONCENTRATIONS,WITH HARD ROCK RESOURCES FOR LI,SN.TA,NB AND BE.LI-MINERALIZATION SEPARATED FROM SN-TA-ORES
  • ; ORE:SPODUMENE(20%),MICA(5-10%),QUARTZ(20%),FELDSPARS(>50%,NA-&K-FELDSP.EQUAL PORTIONS); 2 PGM BODIES BEING MINED.HOSTROCKS:BIOTITE SCHISTS AND AMPHIBOLITES.HORTON,1986,ASSUMES THAT HOSTROCKS APPERTAIN TO INNER PIEDMONT BELT RATHER THAN TO KINGS MOUNTAIN BELT.RADIOMETR.DATING OF CHERRYVILLE MONZONITE & PGM MATERIAL.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Prospect
Commodity type Both
Significant No
Year of first production 1962
Year of last production 1987

Mining district

District name Carolina Tin-Spodumene Belt

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Lithium Corp. Of America (Lithco, Lithcoa)

Comments on the production information

  • 18140 TONNES OF LI-CARBONATE,EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT 3410 TONNES P.Y.OF CONTD.LIPROD'N FIGURES ARE WITHHELD TO AVOID DISCLOSURE OF PROPRTRY.INFO.SINCE 1985
  • 1986: 510 TONNES OF CONTD LI (ESTIMATE);20000 TONNES P.Y.SPOD CONC. SALES EXPANSION TO 13000TPY SPOD.CONC(7.5%LIO2),TO 30000TPY BY 1991.GLASSGRADE SPOD.(4.5%LIO2):10000TONNES 1987,30000TONNES 1988,80000TONNES 1989.150000TONNES 1990.5000TONNES OF LI-CARBONATE FROM 1990.STARTING 1987,ADDITIONAL GLASS GRADE CON.WILL BE SHIPPED.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1986
    Total resources 104000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Lithium Li 1.34 wt-pct Lithium Major 1986

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • ADDITIONAL HUGE BUT AS YET UNQUANTIFIED RESOURCE IS KNOWN SOUTH OF DEVELPD.ORE.
  • R1E2 IS CONTAINED IN R1E1;R1E3 IS RECOVBL.EQUIVALENT OF R1E2.CUTOFF 1.5%LI2O
  • THESE RESOURCES MAY BECOME MARGINALLY ECONOMIC IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

Comments on development

  • NON-GEOLOGIC CONSTRAINTS ON DEVELOPMENT OR EXPANSION IN 1-5 YRS. (). DEVELOPMENT(YES); EXPLORATION(UNKNOWN); ASSESSMENT(BRIGHT FUTURE,POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL TONNAGES); PRODUCTION OF 7.5%LIO2-CONCENTRATES UP TO 1986 POSSIBLY WITNESSED LOW RECOVERY RATES(?50%). ORE TRATMENT WITH JAW CRUSHERS CAUSES PROBLEMS.
  • NON-GEOLOGIC CONSTRAINTS ON DEVELOPMENT OR EXPANSION IN 1-5 YRS. ( H,PRODUCTION COSTS,PRICE;). DEVELOPMENT(UNKNOWNN); EXPLORATION(UNKNOWN); ASSESSMENT(OPERATION MAY FACE ECON.PROBLEMS WHEN MORE BRINE DEPOSITS WILL BE DEVELOPED);

Reference information

Comments on the other database information

  • ISM0485 AND W700819

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    KESLER,T.L.,1942: THE TIN-SPODUMENE BELT OF THE CAROLINAS.--U.S.DEPT.OF THE INTERIOR,GEOL.SURVEY, BULL.936-J,P.245-269.

  • Deposit

    BLEIWAS,D.I.& COFFMAN,J.S.,1986: LITHIUM AVAILABILITY- MARKET ECONOMY COUNT-IES. --U.S.DEPT.OF THE INTERIOR,BUREAU OF MINES,INFORMATION CIRCULAR 9102.

  • Deposit

    HORTON,J.W.,JR.,BUTLER.J.R.& MILTON,D.J.(EDITORS)1981:GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE KINGS MOUNTAIN BELT AND ADJACENT AREAS IN THE CAROLINAS.--CAROLINA GEOL.SOC.,FIELD TRIP GUIDEBOOK 16;1981,247P.

  • Deposit

    HORTON,J.W.,JR.& BUTLER.J.R.,1986:THE KINGS MOUNTAIN BELT AND SPODUMENE PEGMATITE DISTRICT..-GEOL.SOC.OF AMER.CENTENN.FIELD GUIDE,SE-SECTION,P239-244

  • Production

    FORM 10-K,GULF RESOURCES & CHEMICAL CORP.(FOR YEAR 1982),MIN.YB.1984 FOR1983 AND 1984 FIGURES.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THIS RECORD WAS COMPILED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC MINERALS INVENTORY. THE DATA WERE USED IN PREPARATION OF THE USGS CIRCULAR 930 SERIES OF REPORTS. MINERAL RESOURCE CATEGORIES AND CODES HEREIN ARE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM RECOMMENDED BY THE UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON DEFINITIONS AND TERMINOLOGY FOR MINERAL RESOURCES. (SEE NATIONAL RESOURCES FORUM, V. 4, NO. 3, P. 307-313.). SURFACE 0-30M UPGR.FOR HIGH-GRADE CONC;GLASSGRADE PRODUCT REQUIRES ONLY WASHING & SCREENING AN EMERGING PRODUCER;LARGE TONNAGE,HIGH GRADE RESOURCES
Deposit THIS RECORD WAS COMPILED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC MINERALS INVENTORY. THE DATA WERE USED IN PREPARATION OF THE USGS CIRCULAR 930 SERIES OF REPORTS. MINERAL RESOURCE CATEGORIES AND CODES HEREIN ARE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM RECOMMENDED BY THE UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON DEFINITIONS AND TERMINOLOGY FOR MINERAL RESOURCES. (SEE NATIONAL RESOURCES FORUM, V. 4, NO. 3, P. 307-313.). SURFACE BREAKING,GRINDING,FLOTATION,CARBONATE PRODUCTION,DOWNSTREAM PRODS.FROM CARBONATE
Deposit Discovery Year: 1978/79
Deposit First Production Year: 1983 FOR LI

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-MAY-1987 Anstett, Terrance F. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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