Grandfather Minerals to be Featured in Books on North Carolina Geology

Kenny Gay, a geologist with the North Carolina Geological Survey, visited Grandfather Mountain in September to take photographs of Grandfather’s mineral collection for a book on the 400 or more gems, minerals and rock-types found in North Carolina.

“We are actually working on two books,” explained Gay. “One is a book with a whole lot of science and not many pictures. The other is a coffee-table book with a whole lot of pictures and not much science.”

North Carolina is one of a number of states that have produced books such as these to catalogue their mineral wealth. Gay, who spends the winter and spring making geologic maps of the state, says the book project gives him something to work on during the hot, humid, muggy, buggy summer months when it is difficult to get out into the woods to map the state’s rock formations.

Gay asked for the assignment of photographing Grandfather’s mineral collection and came prepared with a studio-like backdrop and special lights selected to be as close to sunlight as possible.

“This is probably the best collection in the state,” said Gay. “Hopefully some of my photos will have an ‘oooh, aahh’ factor to them.”

Gay says he hopes the picture book will go to the printer in 2008. He thinks the science book may be one or two more years down the road.

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