Where to Find Pyrite in North Carolina

North Carolina pyrite shows up in metamorphic schist and pegmatite settings. The Foote Lithium mine in Cleveland County yields pyrite cubes up to a centimeter in spodumene-rich pegmatite, and the Hiddenite area in Alexander County carries pyrite alongside emerald and quartz. Trap-rock quarries through the central Piedmont add pyrite as scattered grains in altered diabase. The Spruce Pine pegmatites in Mitchell County produce pyritohedrons in feldspar matrix. Most North Carolina pyrite is matrix-bound rather than freestanding crystal, and surface specimens weather quickly in the wet Appalachian climate to limonite stains and earthy alteration products.

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

Standout pyrite spots in North Carolina

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

Eldorado
Montgomery County County
Eldorado is the Uwharrie-region gold and base-metal pick, tied to the Carolina Slate Belt rather than the Blue Ridge gem belts. Gold, pyrite, sphalerite, smithsonite, malachite, and azurite give the area a compact mining-district mineral suite, with public-land collecting rules requiring close attention to old workings and ownership.

Best counties for pyrite in North Carolina

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

Every pyrite spot we track in North Carolina

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
StratfordWalnut Branch Church Road	Alleghany County	Chalcopyrite Cuprite Galena Malachite Molybdenite Pyrite Silver Sphalerite	36.5189, -81.2207	Public
Anson CountyWhite Store Road	Anson County	Gold Calcite Garnet Galena Pyrite Siderite Rutile Sphalerite	34.9570, -80.1227	Public
Long Shoals CreekShatley Springs Road	Ashe County	Quartz Pyrite Epidote	36.4789, -81.4117	Public
Grandmother MountainGrandmother Mountain Lane	Avery County	Gold Pyrite Quartz	36.0632, -81.8432	Public
Davidson CountySilver Hill Road	Davidson County	Chalcopyrite Gold Pyrite Tetradymite Anglesite Calamine Calcite Cuprite +3 more	35.7057, -80.1995	Public
Bullock	Granville County	Pyrite	36.4700, -78.5157	Public
Medoc Mountain State ParkSummit Loop Trail	Halifax County	Chalcopyrite Molybdenite Pyrite Sericite	36.2562, -77.8821	Public
Elijah Mountain Gem MineBrevard Road	Henderson County	Ruby Sapphire Emerald Quartz Citrine Amethyst Garnet Aventurine +10 more	35.3244, -82.5034	Public
Cowee CreekSheffield Farms Road	Macon County	Garnet Ruby Sapphire Corundum Beryl Hornblende Kyanite Pyrite +3 more	35.2721, -83.3936	Public
EldoradoCoggins Mine Road	Montgomery County	Azurite Calcite Gold Malachite Pyrite Silver Smithsonite Sphalerite +1 more	35.4824, -80.0228	Public
MoriaHelena-Moriah Road	Person County	Pyrite Limonite Cubes	36.2714, -78.8825	Public
Bryson CityEast Deep Creek Road	Swain County	Allanite Garnet Magnetite Moonstone Quartz Pyrite Feldspar Mica +2 more	35.4436, -83.4402	Public
Flint Knob	Wilkes County	Calcite Galena Pyrite	36.1853, -81.4496	Public

Before you go

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

Pyrite in North Carolina FAQ

Where can you find pyrite in North Carolina?+

The mapped spots concentrate in Alleghany County County, Anson County County, and Ashe County County. Known collecting areas include Foote Lithium mine (Cleveland County), Hiddenite area (Alexander County), and Spruce Pine pegmatites (Mitchell County). Every spot on this page appears on the map above with coordinates and access notes.

How many pyrite spots are mapped in North Carolina?+

13 spots across 13 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 pyrite 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. 13 of the 13 mapped spots here sit on land marked public. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find pyrite

More minerals to hunt in North Carolina

Hunt pyrite 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.