Building the Infrastructure of the World

Georgia Mineral Industry

Georgia’s mines produce more than 20 different minerals, each with thousands of uses.

From the stone quarries of North Georgia, through Middle Georgia’s kaolin belt, and into the fuller’s earth deposits in the southern part of the state, GMA members’ output can be found in nearly every sector of the market.

Georgia’s minerals and their uses include:

A white or colorless crystal, barite is formed through the weathering of limestone rocks that contain barium compounds. Barite is used:

As a source of barium for products like X-ray tubes, fireworks, textile dyes, medical imaging contrast, soaps, flame retardants, lubricants, and more
As an extender and filler for paints, paper, and rubber products
As a “weighting component” for oil well drilling muds

Most barite mines in Georgia are located north of Atlanta.

A dull, reddish-brown, white, or tan sedimentary rock with a high aluminum content, bauxite is the ore from which most of the world’s aluminum is extracted. Bauxite is used:

In manufacturing building materials such as firebrick that are resistant to heat, commonly called refractories
In high-performance ceramics that require high heat resistance and thermal conductivity
In aluminum-based chemicals
In abrasives such as sandpaper and blasting medium
In cements, especially high-temp cements
In flame retardant chemicals, fabrics, and other materials

Most of Georgia bauxite is mined in South Georgia near Albany.

This compound appears several times on this list in various forms – both marble and limestone are predominantly composed of calcium carbonate. In Georgia’s only subsurface mines, calcium carbonate is extracted for use in:

Antacids, such as Tums, and in other pharmaceuticals as a filler
Chalk
Preservatives for organic produce
Agricultural lime, used to neutralize acidic soil
Abrasive cleansers like Comet
Swimming pool chemicals
Paper, both as a filler and as a neutralizer in acid-free archival paper
Paint, as an extender
Chemicals that reduce the effects of acid rain on waterways
Building materials, including cements and builder’s lime
Compounds that help purify iron ore in the manufacture of steel

Calcium carbonate in Georgia is found in the northern part of the state, near marble and limestone-producing areas.

Georgia is a significant producer of industrial clay, a commonly occurring fine-grained material composed of a wide array of crystalline “clay minerals.” Clay from Georgia can be found around the world in products such as:

Ceramic tile
Brick
Pottery
Cement and concrete
Masonry cement and mortar
Lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA), a product used in everything from concrete and backfilling to hydroponic agriculture and landscaping

Clay is mined all over Georgia.

Carefully selected while still in the ground and extracted using precision mining techniques, dimension granite is one of the planet’s most beautiful and durable building materials. Miners use special saws and other precise tools to cut large, unbroken slabs of quality stone that are then used in:

Monuments and memorials
Building cladding
Decorative curbing
Flagstones and other pavers
Millstone slates
Roofing slate
High-temperature refractory brick

Dimension granite is primarily mined in northeastern Georgia.

Feldspar is one of the most common minerals on Earth; about 60% of the planet’s crust is composed of feldspar. There are many types of feldspar, all of which are rich in aluminum and silicon compounds. Feldspar extracted from Georgia mines is found as a large crystal and is used:

As an extender and filler in paints, plastics, and rubber
As a safe, no-waste stabilizer in glassmaking
As a significant component in ceramic tableware, wall tiles, and ceramic insulators
As a vitrification agent for porcelain, including dental porcelain
As a mild abrasive in cleaners such as Bar Keeper’s Friend.

Most of Georgia’s feldspar is extracted from the Middle Georgia area along the “kaolin belt.”

Originally used as a material for fulling (cleaning and shrinking) woolen fabrics, fuller’s earth is used today in that and thousands of other applications. It is a clay that is unique in its absorbent qualities and can be found:

In kitty litter and oil-absorbing products
In hospital ERs as a treatment for poisoning
As a decontamination agent for military personnel or first responders who have been exposed to hazardous chemicals
As a filler in paints, plaster, adhesives, and pharmaceuticals
In various types of filters for water and other fluids
On movie sets as “prop dust,” used to give actors a dirty appearance or create dramatic clouds of dust

Fuller’s earth is mined near the Florida state line in southwestern Georgia.

Extracted using traditional quarrying methods, granite gravel and crushed stone are some of the most essential mineral products produced by GMA members. Roadwork remains a large consumer of granite aggregate. Eeach mile of four-lane highway can require more than 20,000 tons of crushed stone. Granite aggregate is also used:

As the main component of concrete and asphalt
For building and securing railway track beds
In landscaping and hardscaping, both as a base material and a drainage material
In decomposed form as the surface for natural gravel pathways, bocce courts, and other high-traffic surfaces

GMA members extract granite from mines in northeastern, central, and southwest Georgia.

A white, chalky clay composed of aluminum and silicon, kaolin is one of the planet’s most versatile minerals. Kaolin is used:

In many types of paper, to enhance its glossiness, brilliance, and smoothness
In white ceramic products, sometimes comprising almost 50% of the raw materials
As an extender and pigment in paints
As a component in the rubber vulcanization process, used to make rubber for tires
As an absorbent in wastewater treatment
In medications to treat upset stomachs and diarrhea
As the abrasive agent in toothpaste
As a filler in many cosmetics, as well as in facial masks and body wraps
As an insecticide agent on farms, and in apple orchards to prevent sunscald

More than 60% of the nation’s supply of kaolin is extracted from the “kaolin belt,” a line of massive deposits stretching from Macon to Augustawith most mines operating in or near Sandersville.

A crystalline mineral with a distinctive blue color that gives it its name, kyanite is composed of aluminum and silicate. Kyanite has an unusual property, in that its crystals display different hardness along different axes – scratching a kyanite crystal is easier in one direction than in another. Kyanite can be found:

As an abrasive for cutting, surfacing, and polishing products
In ceramic products, including porcelain plumbing fixtures and dishware
In electronics and electrical equipment as an insulator
As a component in refractories and other high-temp applications

Kyanite is extracted in in the mountains and near the coast.

Along with granite, limestone is one of the two main building blocks for our nation’s infrastructure and large-scale construction. Limestone is a commonly occurring mineral of calcium carbonate that makes up about 15% of the earth’s crust. Limestone is frequently found:

As a building material for the exteriors of buildings and interior details
As the raw material for most of the world’s cement
In the process of producing most of the world’s everyday glass objects
As an additive for paper, plastics, paint, tiles, and other materials
As a compound to aid in the removal of toxic compounds from coal-fired plants and factories

Most of Georgia’s limestone is extracted from deposits in the northwestern part of the state.

A metamorphic rock composed of calcium carbonate, marble is one of the most sought-after minerals for construction. Most people are familiar with dimension marble as a material for statues and as the façade for thousands of famous structures, but marble is also ground into a powder that’s used:

As a filler and pigment in paints, plastics, and paper
As agricultural lime used to neutralize acidic soil
As a neutralizing chemical for pools
As the marking lime used on athletic fields
In carpet backing fabrics

Marble is found in many of the same places as limestone, particularly in northern Georgia.

“Mica” is a term used to describe several silicate minerals with unique properties that allow individual crystals to be easily separated into thin plates. Mica’s unique properties make it a versatile mineral that can be found:

As a filler and pigment carrier in plastics and papers
Providing pigment and “shimmer” to pearlescent paints and cosmetics
In wall-joint compound used in installing and repairing drywall
In electronic and electrical components as an insulator or a dielectric medium for capacitors
In your car, from the plastic parts to the tires and brake linings
On your home in asphalt shingles, wallpaper, stucco, concrete, and tile
As a strengthening agent in nylon and polyester plastics
In your kitchen, making up the tiny grid found inside your microwave’s door

Mica is mined from deposits in northeastern Georgia.

A reddish-brown phosphate, monazite is one of the largest sources for rare-earth elements (REE). REEs are heavy, metallic elements that have countless uses across multiple industries. Their name doesn’t derive from their absolute rarity – some of the REEs are among the most abundant on Earth – but rather from the fact that they occur in low concentrations, requiring considerable ore to be taken in order to extract useable amounts of REE. The elements found in monazite are used in:

Nearly all electronic devices
Self-cleaning ovens
Flints for cigarette lighters
Jet engines and powerplants, protecting turbine blades
Lasers
Spark plugs
High-strength magnets
Coloring agents for glass and ceramics
Luminous paints and dyes
Specialty high-strength steels and other alloys
Commercial and residential lighting

In Georgia, Monazite is mined from the alluvial sands across the southeastern portion of the state.

Ochre is a clay earth mineral found in various colors, from yellow to brown. It has been used since prehistory as a pigment, and the artworks of many cultures are characteristically tinted with ochre. Today, it remains employed as a component of:

Paints
Primers
Mortar
Cement
Plaster
Stucco
Linoleum
And other building materials

Ochre is found in northwestern Georgia.

Rutile is the most common natural form of titanium dioxide and is commonly used to create titanium metal used in everything from smartphones to medical implants to aircraft components. Titanium dioxide itself is a brilliant white pigment that is used in:

Paints
Plastics
Foods
Sunscreens
And anywhere a bright white color is desired.

Rutile is extracted from the sandy soils of Southeastern Georgia.

Rather than being defined by the minerals and compounds that make it up, “sand” describes small particles ranging from .074 mm in diameter to almost 1/8 inch. Sand mining is the largest nonfuel mining industry in the United States. Sand can be found:

As a primary component of concrete, mortar, plaster, and other building materials
In abrasives, from sandpaper to blasting media
As the primary raw material for the production of glass and fiberglass
As a base material for paving and landscaping features, including golf course bunkers.

Sand is predominantly extracted from Georgia’s coastal plains south of the Fall Line.

Georgia’s State Mineral, staurolite has long been valued because of its crystalline tendency to form structures known as “twins” that resemble a perfectly formed 90-degree cross. People have long used these twin structures, sometimes called fairy crosses, as symbols of their faith or spirituality.

Staurolite is commonly used as:

Jewelry
Decorative items
And as an abrasive in industrial applications

Staurolite is commonly found in the mountains of North Georgia and is notably abundant in Fannin County.

Closely related to ochre, umber is an iron oxide-based pigment with a distinctive brownish color. Like ochre, it can be used as a pigment in its native form and has been used in that manner for millennia, including in the Lascaux cave paintings and the Mona Lisa. Today, umber is still a common pigment in:

Paints
Primers
Mortar
Cement
Plaster
Stucco
Linoleum

And other building materials

Umber is mined from deposits in northwestern Georgia.

A silicate mineral that can be found in a wide variety of colors, from transparent to a deep reddish brown. While it’s used as a source for metallic zirconium, it is more commonly used:

As an opacifying agent for decorative ceramics
As a refractory material for foundry casting and other high-temp applications
In the manufacture of catalytic converters for automobiles
In water and air purification systems
In the manufacture of nuclear fuel rods for power plants
As a gemstone

Zircon is found in Southeast Georgia.

Beyond the Mine: Beneficiation

Once a mineral has been extracted from the Earth, the next step is a process known as beneficiation. Nearly every mineral product in Georgia has to be refined, separated, or otherwise processed before it can become a valuable product for market. Beneficiation varies depending on the mineral in question, but some of the processes include:

Separating metallic elements from their ores
Washing and sieving sand to ensure clean, consistent grains
Crushing and sorting gravel
Removing impurities from kaolin

Georgia companies provide beneficiation for minerals produced both here and in other states. Once the minerals have been converted to useful form, they move on to the manufacturers, builders, and other concerns that use the materials in their products, projects, and processes.

Other Georgia Mineral Facts

No fossil fuels are mined in Georgia. Georgia’s mineral industry only produces industrial minerals that are used in the manufacture of millions of products and other industrial processes.
Very little subsurface mining takes place in Georgia. The vast majority of the state’s mine workers do their job in the open air.
Mining, beneficiation, and other mineral production processes take place in 133 of Georgia’s 159 counties.
Each year, minerals extracted from Georgia mines are valued at more than $2 billion.

What’s Your Mineral IQ? Brochure

The Georgia Mining Association’s What’s Your Mineral IQ? brochure is an informative downloadable resource that helps students, educators, and other members of the public understand the nature and impact of Georgia’s mining industry. The brochure can be downloaded and distributed in schools, libraries, museums, or at mining sites to employees or mine/plant tour groups.

Download What’s Your Mineral IQ