Green Cove Springs

Location: Florida, United States (29.907, -81.734 approx.)

Commodities: ilmenite; rutile; zircon; rare earth elements (in monazite); staurolite; leucoxene; heavy minerals

Deposit model: coastal heavy-mineral sands

Geology

The main ore body stretches from a few kilometers southeast of the village [Grove Springs] for about 19 km to the near Bostwick. The average width of this deposit is 1.4 km (maximum 2.4 km). (Elsner (1997)) “The deposit assemblage is composed of predominantly chloride-grade ilmenite with moderate amounts of zircon, rutile, and leucoxene. The ilmenite is highly altered, typically above 63% TiO2. There is a distinct weathering profile. Near the surface, TiO2 levels are elevated in the ilmenite and leucoxene minerals. The assemblage across the orebodies is highly variable. The variability can result in the HM concentrate value to change by greater than 50%. The range of ilmenite plus leucoxene percentages can change from 20% to 45%, rutile product percentages can range from 9% to 25%, and zircon percentages can vary from 12% to 35%.” (Rose (2005))

Recorded production

• Green Cove Springs, Green Cove Springs Mine: produced 207,000,000 metric tons of heavy minerals at 3.5 percent, containing about 7,260,000 metric tons heavy minerals, 1972–2005 (Rose (2005), Page 2)

Exploration and site history

• Active — Iluka and its predecessor companies mined a section of the Duval Upland ridge deposit located in North East Florida from 1972 until the cessation of mining operations in 2005, 1972–2005 (Iluka Resources Ltd. (2015))
• Inactive — Reclamation - Since this time, significant progress has been made reclaiming mined lands and rehabilitating the former processing plant site, 2005 (Iluka Resources Ltd. (2015))
• Discovery — Discovered by a geologist working for the Union Camp Corporation who was charged with completing a mineral assessment of the timber lands owned by the company, 1966 (Rose (2005))

Record imported from USGS USMIN ver. 4.0 (June 2019). Developments after that date appear on facility records, not here; see the methodology.