Where to Find Rutile in North Carolina

North Carolina rutile occurs in two main settings. The Spruce Pine pegmatite belt in Mitchell County carries rutile as needles and bladed groups in quartz and feldspar, sometimes as included sagenite in clear quartz. Buck Creek in Clay County produces opaque red-brown rutile crystals in chromite-bearing dunite. The Cranberry iron district in Avery County hosts rutile with titaniferous magnetite in metamorphosed gabbro. Smaller showings turn up along the Brevard fault zone roadcuts. Most field rutile is dark red-brown and stubby; transparent gem-grade material is rare and concentrated in the Spruce Pine pegmatites.

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

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Every rutile spot we track in North Carolina

Best spotBurnsvilleYancey County, North CarolinaPublic access · Albite, Amazonite, Apatite +13
FranklinMacon County, North CarolinaPublic access · Amethyst, Bronzite, Epidote +11
Crowder's MountainGaston County, North CarolinaPermission required · Barite, Chalcopyrite, Corundum +10
Higdon MountainMacon County, North CarolinaPublic access · Actinolite, Chalcedony, Chromite +10
Cowee CreekMacon County, North CarolinaPublic access · Garnet, Ruby, Sapphire +8
Emerald Hollow MineAlexander County, North CarolinaPublic access · Emerald, Aquamarine, Sapphire +8
Clubb MountainGaston County, North CarolinaPublic access · Corundum, Lazulite, Kyanite +7
Hiddenite (area 2)Alexander County, North CarolinaPublic access · Aquamarine, Beryl, Quartz +7
Anson CountyAnson County, North CarolinaPublic access · Gold, Calcite, Garnet +5
Hall Creek and Silver CreekBurke County, North CarolinaPublic access · Corundum, Diamond, Pyrope Garnet +2
Little Scaly MountainMacon County, North CarolinaPublic access · Asbestos, Corundum, Rutile +2
White PlainsSurry County, North CarolinaPublic access · Beryl, Columbite, Quartz +2
Poplar SpringsSurry County, North CarolinaPublic access · Rutile, Limonite, Quartz +1
AlexisLincoln County, North CarolinaPublic access · Kyanite, Lazulite, Rutile
Henderson PointVance County, North CarolinaPublic access · Quartz, Rutile, Sillimanite
Piney CreekAlleghany County, North CarolinaPublic access · Manganese, Rutile
Fox MountainIredell County, North CarolinaPublic access · Rutile

Standout rutile 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 rutile in North Carolina

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

Before you go

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

Rutile in North Carolina FAQ

Where can you find rutile in North Carolina?+

The mapped spots concentrate in Macon County, Alexander County, and Gaston County. Known collecting areas include Spruce Pine pegmatites (Mitchell County), Buck Creek (Clay County), and Cranberry district (Avery County). Every spot on this page is on the map, and each spot's own page has its coordinates and access notes.

How many rutile spots are mapped in North Carolina?+

17 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 rutile 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. 16 of the 17 mapped spots here sit on land marked public. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find rutile

More minerals to hunt in North Carolina

Hunt rutile 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.