Where to Find Corundum in North Carolina

North Carolina corundum centers on the Cowee Valley sapphire and ruby fields in Macon County, where the Caler Fork drainage exposes corundum-bearing saprolite weathered from amphibolite. Local mines (Mason Mountain, Sheffield, Old Pressley) run pay-to-dig flumes on bucket material. Corundum Hill near Franklin was an early industrial source of abrasive corundum and still yields tabular blue and red crystals in matrix. Buck Creek in Clay County produces large hexagonal corundum crystals (mostly opaque ruby and sapphire) in chromite-bearing dunite. Field rubies are usually clouded; cuttable gem material is the exception rather than the rule. The most productive ground is in Cowee Valley (Macon County), Corundum Hill (Macon County), Buck Creek dunite (Clay County).

Casual hand collection of common rocks and minerals like corundum is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land in North Carolina, with daily and annual limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Always confirm rules before a trip.

Cowee Valley (Macon County) is the standout. Other strong ground includes Corundum Hill (Macon County), Buck Creek dunite (Clay County).