Cleveland County has a history of mining for lithium, gold, iron, quartz crystal, and graphite. Coarse-grained cassiterite was found in Hawkins Branch, about six miles southwest of Shelby, in 1978.
Lithium
The Kings Mountain district in Cleveland and Gaston counties has over 80% of the known lithium ore reserves in the United States. The economic significance of the lithium in the area wasn’t realized until 1942.
The Kings Mountain Mine was mined in the 1980s by Albemarle Lithium. The mine was closed in 1996, but Albemarle Corporation is currently working on reopening it. Albemarle produced a video about the history of mining in Kings Mountain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_Mountain_Mine
Gold was first discovered in 1834 by Mary Briggs in a spring near her home in what is now Kings Mountain. Her discovery resulted in a “gold rush” in what would ultimately result in a million dollar gold mine. Gold was sporadically mined in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The last significant production was from 1954 to 1963 as a byproduct of copper mining.
Iron, quartz crystal, and graphite were found and mined in Cleveland County.
Monazite was mined in Shelby in the late 19th century and early 20th century. It was used in kerosene lamps, lighter flints, and as a polishing agent.
Cassiterite is a very hard mineral and a major source of tin.
This website list dozens of Cleveland County mines by owner’s name.
Cleveland County History 