Ore Deposits
Western Kentucky Fluorspar District
The Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District is located in Hardin and Pope Counties in southeastern Illinois and in adjacent Crittenden, Livingston, and Caldwell Counties of western Kentucky, within the Paducah 30 x 60 minute quadrangle. Read more
Central Kentucky Mineral District
The Central Kentucky Mineral District, commonly known as the Central Kentucky Fluorspar District, covers part or all of the 16 counties in the Bluegrass Region of central Kentucky and consists of more than 200 vertically dipping vein deposits. Barite, fluorite, calcite, galena, and sphalerite have been sporadically mined in this district since 1900. Read more
South-Central Kentucky Mineral District
Zinc deposits in the Knox Group of south-central Kentucky and Middle Tennessee are classified as Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) ore deposits... Read more
Iron Ore
During the late 1800's and early 1900's, Kentucky had a vibrant iron ore industry in many parts of the state... Read more
Titanium Deposits
Outcrops of the Cretaceous McNairy Formation are exposed in the eastern Jackson Purchase Region in western Kentucky, and field work by the Kentucky Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey researchers in 1987 confirmed the presence of heavy minerals in the McNairy.Read more
Diamonds, Kimberlites, and Lamprophyres
Two types of rocks in the world are known to contain diamonds - kimberlites and lamprophyres - both of which are dark, ultramafic igneous rocksRead more
Nitrates and Sulfates
Nitrates, particularly potassium nitrate, are common in many of the caves in Kentucky and have historically been mined for saltpeter... Read more
Phosphate Mining
The Lexington Limestone contains unusually high concentrations of phosphate... Read more
Gold and Silver
In Kentucky, the surficial geology is not favorable for the natural occurrence of gold or silver.... Read more
Uranium, Radon, and Thorium
Kentucky has small amounts of the naturally occurring radioactive elments uranium, radon, and thorium... Read more
Strategic Minerals
Cobalt, Nickel, Manganese, Chromium, Platinum, Cadmium, Germanium, and Gallium... Read more