Natural Resources

Forests cover 73.1% of the county’s total land. Seventy percent of the forestland is owned by farmers and other private landowners. Timber corporations own 27% of the forestland.

Water is provided by both ground and surface sources, principally drilled wells and the Appomattox River. Amelia County has 39 live creeks and streams from two to 15 miles in length. There are over 500 ponds in the county ranging in size from one-half acre to 15 acres. These ponds provide water reserves for livestock, irrigation, fishing and recreation.

Amelia County also supports a wealth of various minerals. Pegmatite, a common igneous rock in the County, has been the source of plentiful amounts of mica, which was mined extensively during World War II. Kaolin, feldspar, and quartz have also been mined from pegmatite and sold commercially. Beryl, columbitetantatite, and a variety of gem and specimen minerals, such as garnet, topaz and amazonite, have been found in pegmatite. Amazonite is a green-colored stone, unique to Amelia County. Amateur rockhounds can try their mining skill at the Morefield mine, located on Route 628 off U.S. 360.