North Carolina Geology

NC FACTS  Largest Emerald ever found was from Rite Mine in NC, it was carats  Mt. Mitchell, found in the Black Mountains of NC is the highest peak East of the Mississippi (6,684 feet)  The first GOLD rush was in NC prior to the 1849 California gold rush  NC was the first state to complete a geological survey

Carolina Queen » Emerald

3 parts to our state NC is divided into 3 parts Blue Ridge Piedmont (we live here) Coastal Plains –Each part of the state is distinctive and has different mineral content as well as land formation

The Appalachian Mountains This mountain chain stretches from Maine to Alabama and was formed over 480 million years ago. Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, as well as and several Canadian territories. The mountain range is approximately 2,000 miles long

Appalachian Mountains These mountains are formed from folded marine sediments Geologically, these areas are very distinct. The northern Appalachians and the African side of the Appalachians are known as the Crystalline Appalachians due to the large quantity of crystalline igneous and metamorphic rock found in these regions, The west side of the Appalachians is composed of sedimentary rock rich in coal and fossil fuels formed when that region was an ancient shallow ocean.

The beginning of a Mountain 750 Million years ago the supercontinent Pangaea begin to break apart. As Pangaea started breaking apart, a deep basin formed along present day Western Carolina, Northern Georgia and Eastern Tennessee This basin known as Ocoee filled with sea water creating a shallow ocean.

Appalachian Mountains Roughly 480 million years ago the United States in present day Virginia and the Carolinas Volcanic eruptions helped to erode and place the sediment for what would be the base of the Appalachians

The North America and African plates pushed towards each other roughly 470 million years ago. When they collided the marine sediment covered crust was pushed up and folded mountains were created

After the collision the North American plate and African plate moved away from each other, they continue this movement based on the mid-Atlantic Ocean Ridge

The Foothills As erosion worked on the Appalachian mountain chain to create the foothills of NC. The Appalachians were once the size of the Rockies

Erosion Erosion is the removal of weathered material from one location to another What are the four main agents of erosion? Water Wind Ice/Glaciers Gravity

Glaciers in NC While glaciers from the North Pole moved down the North American continent they did not actually change the landscape of North Carolina, but glaciers did trigger climate changes that can be seen in the rocks and animals that live in our state today, based on the geological record.

Geo- Hazards

Geo – Hazards A geo – hazard is defined as a geological state that represents or has the potential to develop further into a situation leading to damage or uncontrolled risk

Avalanche is a sudden, drastic flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers, such as loading from new snow or rain, or artificial triggers, such as snowmobilers, explosives or backcountry skiers, overload the snowpack

Land slide A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rock falls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments. land slide land slide

Mud Slide A mudslide is the most rapid (up to 80 km/h, or 50 mph) and fluid type of downhill mass wasting. It is a rapid movement of a large mass of mud formed from loose soil and water.

Rock slide A rockslide is a type of landslide caused by rock failure in which part of the plane of failure passes through intact rock and where material collapses en masse and not in individual blocks

Flash Flood A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields.

Earth Quakes An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time.

Volcanic Eruptions During a volcanic eruption, lava, tephra (ash, lapilli, volcanic bombs and blocks), and various gases are expelled from a volcanic vent or fissure

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