Corundum Knob Mining 2024-2

Continuation (Page 2) of photos from several days roaming around Corundum Knob in January & February 2024, documenting the many named ore vein cuts. The Shook Cut:

The Shook cut, starting at the west end

Shook cut Assays from the Shook cut in 1945 averaged 2.4% corundum.

Two principal types of corundum deposits are found at Buck Creek...

The two types are (1) vein deposits, and (2) corundum-bearing amphibolite dikes.

The deposits on Corundum Knob primarily consist of the corundum-bearing (disseminated) amphibolite.

Further along the Shook cut

Vein of serpentine rock cutting through the Shook cut

Far end of the Shook cut

The US Bureau of Mines cut 8,494 feet of prospect trenches here from 1943-45 This is one of those trenches, near the Shook cut.

End of the same prospect trench
Harvey Penland's family, originally from Haywood Co., NC, is listed in the Buck Creek area in 1850, and he had a land grant there in 1851. In 1882, the Penlands entered land grants for almost 3000 acres in Upper Shooting Creek, Chunky Gal, and Buck Creek; they opened up much of their land to prospectors. The Penland Cut:

Penland cut

Assays from the Penland cut in 1945 averaged 2.5% corundum.

Corundum-bearing dike in the Penland cut

Same partially-excavated corundum-bearing dike

Penland cut
The Davenport family became established in the Buck Creek - Shooting Creek area when David & Dorothy Davenport moved there from Burke Co, NC, in 1838. Their sons and grandsons mined the area, and Davenport Branch was no doubt named for them. The Davenport Cut:

Watery section of the Davenport cut

Davenport cut

View from Davenport cut down into the "deep" cut at the east end There is a sharp drop of about 8 feet directly in front of me.

I made my way around to the east end, then came up to the "deep" cut.

The "deep" cut end of the Davenport cut.

Closer view - part of the "deep" section of the Davenport cut. The rock wall is about 8 feet high here.

Another area, to the left of the previous image

A veined amphibolite rock in the creek near the Davenport cut.
The "White Corundum" Cut:

The White Corundum cut was one of the few Corundum Knob cuts that exposed a corundum vein.

White Corundum cut, a different view from another day
The Burch Cut:

South of the White Corundum cut... This is the edge of the Corundum Knob "center / summit" area, which I'll cover in another album.

Reindeer Lichen (Cladonia sp.)

Some kind of fungi...

A cold Buck Creek...

Buck Crk Mining Index	Corundum Knob Index
Buck Creek Index	Natural Environments