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Indian Mountain, Alabama, USA
You are here: MineralCollecting.org >> Localities >> Indian Mountain, Alabama, USA

| Locality Data | Description | Locality Pictures | Collecting | Minerals | Tools
| Directions | Area Maps | Weather Conditions | Area Businesses | Closest Campgrounds |
| Other Points of Interest | Other Collecting | Area Rock Shops | Literature | Related Websites |

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Locality Data

Name: Indian Mountain
Location: near Piedmont, Cherokee county, Alabama, United States
GPS:
Locality Type: Abandoned Shaft/Prospect Pit
Prodominent Host Rock: Fort Payne Chert (sedimentary)
Prodominent Mineralization Host: Fort Payne Chert
Mineral Species Count: ~15
Accessibility: Moderate
Collectibility: Easy
Explanations

Description

"Indian Mountain" is the label for minerals from the classic boulder field on the slope of Indian Mountain in northeast Alabama. The area was mined and extensively surveyed for deposits of iron ore in the Fort Payne Chert throughout the late 1800's and up until the 1950's. The majority of the property in this area is now owned by forest services and timber companies, with a few private land owners scattered between. The site consists of an old shaft at the base of the mountain and cuts and pits on the slope above. Large boulders of phosphate rich Fort Payne Chert are scattered down the hill.

Locality Pictures

Collecting

In the past collectors have been able to drive into the locale and collect, however, at present a large gate is across the road that leads up to Indian Mountain. Contact must be made with the land owner to gain access.

Mineralization occurs in vugs, cavities and pockets in the iron ore seams which invaded the chert breccia. The material is very hard and will not be broken easily. Collecting may be easiest by surveying the boulder field for potential specimens.

Minerals

Local minerals may include, but are not restricted to, barite, beraunite, cacoxenite, churchite, dufrenite, kidwellite, leucophosphite, phosphosiderite, rockbridgeite, strengite, wavellite, variscite. View the available specimens in the pictures listed below:

strengite (purple)
unk. Photographer: Adam Barwood

strengite (zoned, purple)
. Photographer: Jason Smith (This specimen was sold on ebay by Jason. Visit ebay id Mandjasite for fine and rare micromounts)

Tools

Always remember safety glasses, steel toe shoes, and hard hat. Recommended tools include the following in order of importance: sledge hammer, rock hammer, crack hammer, chisel, buckets or bags, crow bar or pry bar, hammer drill, optivisor or loupe or magnifying glass.

Suggested supplies include bug repellant, water, lunch, snacks, wrapping material.

Driving Directions

From Piedmont, Alabama take 278 north to 45. Go about one mile north on 45, turn right on 8. Approximately 9 miles on 8.

Area Maps

Weather Conditions

Area Businesses

Few and far between.

Closest Campgrounds

Cheaha State Park
19644 Hwy. 281
Delta, AL 36258
1-256-488-5111

Lake Guntersville State Park
7966 AL Hwy. 227
Guntersville, AL 35976-9126
1-256-571-5444

Noccalula Falls Park & Campground
P.O. Box 267
Gadsden, AL 35999
256-543-7412

Other Points of Interest

Lake Guntersville State Park
7966 AL Hwy. 227
Guntersville, AL 35976-9126
1-256-571-5444

U S Space & Rocket Center
1 Tranquility Base
Huntsville, AL 35805
1-256-837-3400

Weinman Mineral Museum
51 Mineral Museum Dr
White, GA 30184-3102
1-770-386-0576
http://www.weinmanmuseum.org/

Six Flags Over Georgia
275 Riverside Parkway
Austell, GA 30168
1-770-948-9290
http://www.sixflags.com/parks/overgeorgia/

Visionland
Visionland Pkwy
Bessemer, AL 35022
1-205-481-4750
http://www.visionland.com/

Other Collecting in the Area

Mosquito Pit
Augusta Ridge
Rock Run
Jacksonville Road Cut
Cedartown

Area Rock Shops

Weinman Mineral Museum
51 Mineral Museum Dr
White, GA 30184-3102
1-770-386-0576
http://www.weinmanmuseum.org/

Jendon Minerals
P.O. Box 6214
Rome, GA 30162
1-706-291-4618
http://www.jendonminerals.com/

Literature

Alabama Literature Listings

Phosphate Minerals of Alabama (1983) H. L. Barwood, Rocks and Minerals, 58, 5663.

Occurence of turquoise group minerals in the Eastern United States, (1997) H.L. Barwood, The Mineralogical Record. 28;1, p.53

Phosphate microminerals of the Indian Mountain area, (1989) Gordon, Jennings B.; Hollabaugh, Curtis L., The Mineralogical Record. 20;5, p.355-362

New Minerals from Indian Mountain, Alabama and Cedartown, Georgia (1982) H. L. Barwood & L. W. Zelazny, Rocks and Minerals, 58, 152154.

Related Websites

Mindat.org Locality Reference
Brief Article and Photographs from Augusta Ridge

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