FINE SWEET HOME RHODOCHROSITE CRYSTALS ON MATRIX
Sweet Home Mine, Alma, Colorado
This is a fine specimen of the rare crystal rhodochrosite from the a classic locale, the Sweet Home mine of Alma, Colorado, whence some of the finest rhodochrosite crystals in the world have been extracted, including the 6 1/2 x 5 1/2 inch "Alma King", considered the finest and most valuable mineral specimen ever found in North America. The mine first opened in 1873, when the miners would trade the rhodochrosite crystals they found for drinks in the local saloon. It has been closed and opened many times in its history, but has remained dormant since 2004, making these specimens increasingly hard to come by, and especially such fine examples as this one, with a good number of finely rich pink rhodochrosite crystals nestling on a bed of translucent quartz rod crystals on a matrix bursting with little glittering cubic pyrite crystals. A rare and lovely combination specimen, it measures approximately 3 7/8 x 3 1/4 x 1 inches, presented on a perspex display stand.