Spruce Pine Mining District
| Spruce Pine Mining District | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: 450-470 Ma | |
Sample of the Spruce Pine Pegmatite | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Tugaloo Terrane |
| Overlies | Cranberry Gneiss |
| Thickness | up to 10,500 feet (3,200 m) |
| Location | |
| Location | Spruce Pine, NC |
| Coordinates | 35°56′35″N 82°04′58″W / 35.942922°N 82.08268°W |
| Region | Appalachian Mountains |
| Country | United States |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Spruce Pine, NC |
The Spruce Pine Mining District is a swath of the valley of the North Toe River in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northwestern North Carolina. The area is mined for its mica, kaolin, quartz and feldspar. Spruce Pine district is one of the largest suppliers of high-purity quartz, which is used in the manufacture of silicon for integrated circuits. The district is named after the town of Spruce Pine, which is located in the middle of the region and is the hub of major mining activity there. The district is approximately 25 miles (40 km) long and 5 miles (8.0 km) wide.