To log this earthcache send an email with the following information.
1. First line: Uwharrie National Forest: Bald Mountain Iron Mine: GC50H66
2. From your observations at this site, what type of mine was here? Why do you say so?
3. Go to the second waypoint: N35° 32.813 W80° 11.858
4. Observe the spoils at the site. What type of rock makes up the spoil? If it is a humid or moist day, you may detect the faint odor of iron sulfide decomposing. What is this smell? (note: some days, the odor is much stronger than others.) What is the hardness of the rock with the white flecks?
5. Go to the third waypoint: N35° 32.853 W80° 11.871
6. What is different about the rocks you find at this waypoint? What do you smell about the rocks here? What is the hardness of the rock here? What color are the flaking, loose rock here?
7. Were the miners looking for the rock at waypoint 2 and 3?
For this earthcache, you will need to bring the following tools with you: a nail or other piece of steel (like a nail or pocket knife blade) and a magnifying glass.
During the Civil War, the gold mines in this area were producing wealth but a much more valuable resource was being extracted here: iron ore for the war effort. The value was not wealth but in survival and winning the war.
The Uwharrie Mountains are the remnants of the oldest, highest mountain chain in the world. The mountains here predate the Rocky Mountains out west and the Appalachian Mountains in our state. The mountains here are what’s left of a ½ BILLION year old mountain range! These mountains have undergone many changes during that time including being folded, turned on the side, buried deep under an ocean, folded again, lifted high above the ocean floor again and finally, worn down by age.
The rock material from the heart of the mountain is called rhyolite. It is grey, very hard and often has small white square feldspar crystals imbedded in the rock. You can use your magnifying glass to look at the white specks. They should look square and sometimes, even cubes. Rhyolite rock is harder than steel (5.5 on mohs scale). To test for rhyolite, use your piece of steel and try and scratch the rock. If you can scratch the rock, you don’t have rhyolite. If can scratch the rock, you don’t have rhyolite. It can be a host of other rock types, but we are checking for rhyolite here.
They rhyolite often had iron sulfide (pyrite) deposits along with magnetite and hematite veins running through. These three minerals were rich in iron and was the target of this mine. The rhyolite was being removed to find these iron rich veins. When pyrite is exposed to air, the sulfide starts to give off a distinct sulfur smell: match sticks.
The rock that was deposited over the rhyolite when it was buried deep beneath the ocean is a sedimentary rock made from silt and clay. The pressure compressed the sediments into rock. Over time, as the sea floor was raised once again above the ocean, the rocks bent and cracked. The cracks filled with another iron rich black mineral called goethite. The sedimentary rock was crushed to concentrate the goethite and further extract the iron ore. These sedimentary rocks are very soft compared to rhyolite and can easily be scratched by a piece of steel.
When you reach the posted coordinates, you stand between what is left of the heart of a mountain and what covered the mountain when it was buried deep beneath the sea. The structure that stands before you is what is left of a mine. This mine was used to process iron ore for the war effort.
There were several types of mines in the Uwharries which included placer mines, where pressurized water was used to wash gold from hillsides. Decades and later, placer mines are recognized by huge cut away sections next to rivers and creeks. Steep sided valleys were created by the pressurized water.
Shaft mines dug horizontal shafts into hillsides and made vertical shafts straight down. Shaft mines can be recognized by piles of quartz rock that may surround a central depression. If a horizontal shaft was used, the hand dug shaft can still be found, sometimes lined with timbers and rail cart lines for the ore carts. Vertical shafts are dangerous. False bottoms may be in the center of the depression.
Large, open pit mines. These open pit mines were many acres. If the open pit mine cut into the side of a mountain, then the sheer man made cliff walls are very evident. If the open pit mine was surrounded on all sides, then by now most of these mines have filled with water. Workers dug ore from the mine and carted it down the hill to a stamp mill next to a creek. There, crushers began the process of breaking the rock. Steam engines powered the crushers and separators. The ruins of the stamp mill can still be seen today.
Archaeological remains of homes, probably used by company supervisors, also have been found on nearby ridge tops. Only fireplaces remain visible above the ground.