EXAMPLE OF A PAIR OF USGS PUBLICATIONS RESULTING IN NEW MINERAL EXPLORATION IN NORTH CAROLINA FOR POTENTIAL REES

In 2007 and 2009, the USGS published two Open File Reports – (1) Detailed Sections from Auger Holes in the Roanoke Rapids 1:100,000 Map Sheet, North Carolina [Open File Report 2007-1092 by Weems and Lewis] and (2) Surficial Geologic Map of the Roanoke Rapids 30’ x 60’ Quadrangle, North Carolina [Open File Report 2009-1149 by Weems, Lewis, Aleman-Gonzalez]. These two documents provided detailed spatial information on “very fine to fine dark, heavy mineral grains”. Neither document defined or identified the dark, heavy mineral grains by species.

In 2019, a minerals company submitted a preliminary plan to mine heavy minerals in the northwest corner of the Roanoke Rapids 30’ x 60’ Quadrangle. From the proposed mining area, and a map of the leased parcels from the county’s lands records management system, the publication of Weems and Lewis (2007) and Weems, Lewis and Aleman-Gonzalez (2009) have been used to plan and execute a detailed evaluation of this potential heavy mineral prospect, resulting in an proposed application for a mining permit.