CHAPTER IV. 
OUTLINES OF THE GEOLOGY 
OF NORTH CAROLINA. 
It is proposed in this chapter to give only a brief summary of the general 
geology of the State ; presenting only the principal and broadest results 
of the work hitherto done in the investigation of its general relations, as 
to the age, structure, stratigraphy, lithology, mineralogy and geopraphical 
extent of its formations ; and omitting ail details, for which reference is 
made, first to the volumes of the Survey already published, by those who 
have investigated the several departments ; especially to the reports of 
Dr. Emmons for 1856 and 1858, and to the Annual Reports of the Sur- 
vev for 1867 and 1869, and to the several papers in the Appendix to this 
volume; and second, to the next volume of the report, to follow this in 
about a year, in which it is hoped to add something on the mineralogy, 
topography and stratigraphy, but especially to investigate the lithology of 
the North Carolina rocks, which subject has never received the attention 
which its importance and significance merit. 
By reference to the Chart given above, and the map at the end of the 
volume, it will be seen that the surface of this State is pretty equally 
divided between the lowest, or oldest, and the upper, or newest systems, 
the larger part of the series having no representatives ; the eastern half 
being occupied by the later formations, and the western by the earlier ; and 
that the only one of the intermediate groups which appears, covers but 
an insignifiicant area in the middle region. The complete series for the 
State is as follows : Quaternary, Tertiary, Cretaceous, Triassic, ILuronian, 
Laurentian and Igneous. These groups will be considered in order, be- 
ginning with the lowest. 
LAURENTIAN. 
This system is represented on a very large scale in North Carolina. It 
occupies a belt about 20 to 25 miles wide and of a nearly north and south 
direction, across the northern part of the sub-eastern section, the capital 
being located upon it. It extends northward to the Virginia line, the 
southern part of it towards the Cape Fear and beyond, and its entire 
