Gold mines in South Carolina that are not abandoned
| Mine | County | Type | MSHA status | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haile Gold Mine | Lancaster County | underground | Active | 926 |
Historic gold producers in South Carolina (USGS)
USGS records 139 historic gold producers in South Carolina: 134 past producers and 5 listed as producers or plants. For 22 of them USGS gives an output size (1 large, 2 medium, 19 small). Production years are recorded for 12 sites, from 1828 to 1913.
Source: USGS Mineral Resources Data System (retrieved 2026-10-13), last updated around 2011. The county pages list the sites.
Counties
| County | MSHA, not abandoned | MSHA, abandoned | USGS historic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County | 1 | 0 | 25 |
| York County | 0 | 1 | 34 |
| Cherokee County | 0 | 1 | 16 |
| Mccormick County | 0 | 2 | 12 |
| Chesterfield County | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Greenville County | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Union County | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Oconee County | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Abbeville County | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Edgefield County | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Saluda County | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Fairfield County | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Greenwood County | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Kershaw County | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Spartanburg County | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Anderson County | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Chester County | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Laurens County | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Pickens County | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Richland County | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Questions about gold mines in South Carolina
How many gold mines are in South Carolina?
MSHA lists 8 gold mines in South Carolina. 1 is not abandoned (1 active). 7 records are marked abandoned. USGS lists another 139 historic gold producers that are not in the MSHA records.
What is the largest gold mine in South Carolina?
By employees reported to MSHA, the largest is Haile Gold Mine in Lancaster County, with 926 employees.
Can I visit an abandoned gold mine in South Carolina?
Old workings are dangerous and most are on private land or active claims, so the answer is almost always no. Do not enter them.
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