Geology of North Carolina: Selected Resources: Home

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Geology of North Carolina

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What is in this guide?

This guide presents selected resources related to the geology of North Carolina. You can search the library catalog using keywords related to your topic, such as "North Carolina fossils" or "North Carolina gold". In addition to publications of the North Carolina Geological Survey, geological field trip guidebooks and MS and PhD theses are good sources for learning about the geology of a particular geographic area or geologic region. To find relevant guidebooks, use keywords or "Geology-North Carolina-Guidebooks" in the subject heading. The North Carolina Collection in Wilson Library also has many resources related to this topic.

Books

Exploring the Geology of the Carolinas by Kevin G. Stewart; Mary-Russell Roberson
Written by a UNC Geological Sciences professor, this is a reader-friendly guide to the geology of North Carolina and South Carolina. It pairs a brief geological history of the region with 31 field trips to sites where one can observe firsthand the evidence of geologic change found in rocks, river basins, mountains, waterfalls, and coastal land formations.
The Geology of the Carolinas by J. Wright Horton (Editor); Victor A. Zullo (Contribution by)
This book covers the geology of North and South Carolina, with detailed chapters on each of the geologic provinces in the state. There are also chapters on specific topics including metamorphism, rift basins, tectonics, and mineral resources, as well as numerous maps, photographs, diagrams and tables, and a comprehensive index.
North Carolina: Its Geology and Mineral Resources by Stuckey, Jasper L.
This book is a great starting point for researching the geology of NC. It has detailed information about all aspects of North Carolina geology. Even though it was published in 1965, most of the text is still relevant today. There are a number of figures and black and white photographs included, as well as a detailed index.
North Carolina, the Years Before Man by Fred Beyer
Written for a general audience, this is a geological narrative describing the geological history of North Carolina, from 1,700 million years ago to present-day. It includes excellent diagrams and tables, two sections of color photographs, and an index.

Article Databases

GeoRef
- The American Geological Institute database of geoscience literature world-wide
- Articles, books, maps, conference papers, reports and, theses
- Includes references to all publications of the US Geological Survey
- Includes Masters' theses and doctoral dissertations from US and Canadian universities
Access: Off Campus Access is available for: UNC-Chapel Hill students, faculty, and staff; UNC Hospitals employees; UNC-Chapel Hill affiliated AHEC users.
Coverage: 1785-present for the geological literature of North America; 1933-present for the rest of the world
GEOBASE
Covers worldwide literature on geography, geology, ecology, and related disciplines. Over 2,000 journals are fully covered, and an additional 3,000 are selectively covered. More than 2,000 books, monographs, conference proceedings, and reports are also covered.

Subjects include: cartography, hydrology, climatology, meteorology, energy, paleontology, environment, petrology, geochemistry, photogrammetry, geomorphology, sedimentology, geophysics, volcanology. (Source: vendor website.)

Access: Off Campus Access is available for: UNC-Chapel Hill students, faculty, and staff; UNC Hospitals employees; UNC-Chapel Hill affiliated AHEC users.
Coverage: 1980-present

Websites

North Carolina Geological Survey
This official website of the NCGS has a wide range of links to information about minerals, resources, and general geology of the state. The website includes an interactive geological map and FAQs about geology in North Carolina.
Carolina Geological Society
The Carolina Geological Society publishes guidebooks on the geology of the Carolinas. Under "Publications" you will find a list of their guidebooks and links to those available online. Our library also has most of the CGS guidebooks.