Sweet Home Mine Rhodochrosite

History of the Sweet Home Mine

The Sweet Home Mine is world-renowned for producing exceptional specimens of the mineral rhodochrosite. It's located in the mining town of Alma, Colorado, U.S.A.

Following its discovery in 1873, the mine produced small amounts of silver until the 1960s. At the time, rhodochrosite was considered a gangue mineral, meaning it was regarded as non-valuable material associated with the silver ore.

It was the discovery of rhodochrosite that ultimately made the Sweet Home Mine famous, with some of the finest specimens ever found originating from this deposit.

Sweet Home rhodochrosite is famous for deep red, well-formed crystals that are exceptionally transparent, which is unusual for this mineral.

Most rhodochrosite occurs in massive or banded form, so sharply defined rhombohedral crystals like those from the Sweet Home mine are rare.

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Rhodochrosite: Courtesy of Ron Wolf