Where to Find Beryl in North Carolina

North Carolina beryl is dominated by the emerald and aquamarine of the Spruce Pine and Hiddenite pegmatite belts. The Crabtree emerald mine in Mitchell County is the most famous emerald locality east of the Mississippi, and the Wiseman, Ray, and Beryl Pit operations in Mitchell and Yancey counties produce blue and green beryl in feldspar matrix. The Hiddenite area in Alexander County continues to produce gem emerald from active commercial digs. Aquamarine and goshenite turn up in Stokes and Madison counties as scattered pegmatite finds. Most North Carolina beryl is hexagonal-prismatic and clouded; gem-clear cores are the exception.

Spot list checked against source data on April 1, 2026.

Open the full map

Every beryl spot we track in North Carolina

Best spotBurnsvilleYancey County, North CarolinaPublic access · Albite, Amazonite, Apatite +13
Cowee CreekMacon County, North CarolinaPublic access · Garnet, Ruby, Sapphire +8
Foote Mine and other minesCleveland County, North CarolinaPermission required · Apatite, Beryl, Calcite +7
Hiddenite (area 2)Alexander County, North CarolinaPublic access · Aquamarine, Beryl, Quartz +7
Stice Shoal Lake DamCleveland County, North CarolinaPublic access · Aquamarine, Beryl, Emerald +3
InezWarren County, North CarolinaPublic access · Amethyst, Beryl, Lepidolite +2
White PlainsSurry County, North CarolinaPublic access · Beryl, Columbite, Quartz +2
LattimoreCleveland County, North CarolinaPublic access · Quartz, Black Tourmaline, Beryl +1
Reel MineLincoln County, North CarolinaFee dig · Amethyst, Beryl, Quartz +1
ShelbyCleveland County, North CarolinaPublic access · Beryl, Aquamarine, Emerald +1
South MountainsBurke County, North CarolinaPermission required · Aquamarine, Beryl, Feldspar +1
SpearAvery County, North CarolinaPublic access · Beryl, Garnet, Epidote +1
South Yadkin RiverIredell County, North CarolinaPublic access · Beryl, Corundum, Tourmaline
Yadkin ValleyCaldwell County, North CarolinaPublic access · Beryl, Garnet
Burkemont MountainBurke County, North CarolinaPermission required · Beryl

Standout beryl spots in North Carolina

Hand-picked from the full list above, with the reason each one earns a trip.

Burnsville
Yancey County
Ray Mine gives North Carolina a rare free public pegmatite locality, with Mindat documenting aquamarine, beryl, amazonite, muscovite, rutile, tourmaline, and other Spruce Pine district minerals.

Best counties for beryl in North Carolina

Ranked by the number of mapped beryl spots. County links open the full rockhounding page for that county.

Before you go

Read the beryl identification guide so you know what a keeper looks like in the field: Beryl in the encyclopedia.

Beryl in North Carolina FAQ

Where can you find beryl in North Carolina?+

The mapped spots concentrate in Cleveland County, Burke County, and Alexander County. Known collecting areas include Crabtree emerald mine (Mitchell County), Hiddenite (Alexander County), and Ray and Beryl Pit (Yancey County). Every spot on this page is on the map, and each spot's own page has its coordinates and access notes.

How many beryl spots are mapped in North Carolina?+

15 spots across 11 counties. The RockHoundR app keeps the same spots on an offline map with public land overlays, geology layers, and your saved finds.

Is it legal to collect beryl in North Carolina?+

Hand collecting of common rocks and minerals in small amounts for personal use is generally allowed on BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are closed to collecting. 11 of the 15 mapped spots here sit on land marked public, and 1 is a fee-dig operation where you pay for access and keep what you find. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find beryl

More minerals to hunt in North Carolina

Hunt beryl in North Carolina with the map in your pocket

RockHoundR puts these spots on an offline map with BLM and Forest Service overlays, geology layers, and a log for your finds.