RHODOCHROSITE w/ FLUORITE, PYRITE, etc. from SWEET HOME MINE, COLORADO! 18 cm!!

Description: Excellent, large display specimen featuring dozens of bright Rhodochrosite crystals up to one cm in association with blue to colorless Fluorite, brassy Pyrite, metallic Sphalerite and Galena, all together amongst a forest of thousands of sharp, needle-like Quartz crystals on a sulfide rich, rocky matrix. There are a few Hubnerite crystals in association as well! Locality:Sweet Home Mine, Mt. Bross, Alma Mining District, Park County, Colorado Dimensions:18 x 15 x 4.5 cm Weight: ~5 lbs Here is a classic combo plate specimen from the famous Sweet Home Mine in Colorado. Dozens of bright pinkish red Rhodochrosite crystals in a textbook rhombohedral structure are scattered across the piece, along with Quartz, Fluorite, Pyrite, Sphalerite, Galena, and Hubnerite as well. This is quite a large, rich and diverse display specimen from this storied locale! The upper rightmost region is dominated by a rich grouping of cubic Fluorite crystals exhibiting a contrasting sky blue color with areas of near colorless Fluorite as well. Slightly towards the left are a few smaller but more isolated Fluorite crystals, with complex stepped cubic structure along with some Rhodochrosites perched nearby. To the right, just below the larger, main grouping of Fluorites, is a rather juicy looking Rhododchrosite crystal nestled in mostly Fluorite and Quartz. An interesting Pyrite crystal intergrown with Sphalerite lies just below that. Elsewhere on the specimen are several groupings of gemmy Rhodochrosite crystals, nestled amongst thousands of sharp Quartz crystals, with metallic Sphalerite and Pyrite crystals poking out of the Quartz, along with smaller Galena crystals here and there - and oodles more Rhodochrosites! The middle-left and lower portions of the specimen hosts the bulk of the remaining Rhodochrosite crystals, poking out brightly from the sea of Quartz and mostly Sphalerite crystals in those areas. Speckled atop most of the Sphalerite and Galena crystals is a thin growth of what I presume is manganese-bearing Calcite, as it just glows a vivid orange under longwave ultraviolet light, (as shown in pics 18, 19, & 20)! A rare species encountered at this locality - Hubnerite - can also be found as elongate crystals off to the side of the piece in one area (see pic 23) and a rather good looking crystal poking out from several Quartz crystals in another (see pic 8). There really is so much more that pops out at you upon examination in person! This specimen is simply a joy to behold in real life! It certainly has a lot going for it as is - the piece commands attention for its size and diverse population of mineral species on it. However, it could also be trimmed down to produce several choice specimens of a smaller size, but more concentrated quality. By the looks of things, I would say this piece has the potential to yield three to four even better looking specimens, along with a few others, even some cute thumbnail pieces. It's definitely a solid, showy display specimen as depicted, but it is worth mentioning the potential for multiple specimens of even better quality that could come out of it. It's very tempting, I have to admit. As a side note, the reverse hosts another forest of needle-like Quartz crystals, with more Sphalerite and minor Pyrite in association as well. (See pic 24.) This is a neat bonus, considering that the "backside" of the specimen would otherwise be expected to just be barren rocky matrix. The Sweet Home Mine started out as a silver ore mine in the mid 1800's, when miners would simply chuck Rhodochrosite specimens as they searched for Silver! Over time the mine closed and wasn't poked around again until the 1960's and 70's, then in the early 90's was fully reopened thanks to Brian Lees and his associates, of Collector's Edge, who's efforts yielded the finest Rhodochrosite specimens the world has ever seen. The mine has since been closed for over 20 years, and Sweet Home Rhodochrosite specimens remain on the top of collectors' wish lists today! Prices have steadily climbed since the mine's closure, and despite the bountiful years at the nearby Detroit City Portal, the trend of ever increasing prices that this material commands seems to be accelerating, if anything. As the years continue to go by, Rhodochrosite specimens from either of these related localities will continue to become less available on the market, and ever more costly. Don't miss your chance to own this sweet Rhodochrosite specimen from one of the world's best and historic locales, period – the Sweet Home Mine! This is so much better in person too; my pictures do little justice for this piece! I am a huge rock nerd. I can gab for days about most mineral species, localities, and related topics. Please, know that I would be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding this specimen and locality!! Don't miss your chance to own this choice specimen! FREE SHIPPING in the US! ***For international buyers, please note the shipping cost for this item is $75, based on current international shipping costs via the USPS using their large flat rate box*** International buyers, please note: The USPS no longer ships to certain countries since the onset of the pandemic, and other service disruptions. This list of nations includes Afghanistan, Bhutan, Brunei, Central African Republic, Chad, Cuba, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Laos, Liberia, Libya, Martinique, Mayotte, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Reunion (Bourbon), Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Miquelon), Samoa, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, and Yemen. Please, if you are in any one of the above countries, understand that I cannot ship to you. Please refrain from buying from me if you live in any of the countries I've listed here. If you live literally anywhere else on Earth, by all means, lets do business! If you're looking to purchase multiple specimens, I will combine them to lower the shipping cost! Unless you intend to buy other specimens at a time, please send payment within three days of making a purchase. If you require more time to send payment, please message me to make an arrangement. Buyer assumes all tax (sales/VAT) responsibility. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have before committing to purchase this specimen! Thanks for looking!

Price: 3000 USD

Location: Vallejo, California

End Time: 2024-12-06T01:58:27.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD