Description: I'm pleased to offer this specimen of Rhodochrosite from the Sunnyside mine, Gladstone, San Juan County, Colorado. The specimen measures 1.63 x .84 x 1.01 inches or 4.13 x 2.12 x 2.57cm and is hot-glued to a thick acrylic display face. This is from the Mike Smith collection of Chandler, Arizona. Mike was a good customer of mine and was looking to pare down his collection so I selected a few dozen specimens from his collection. This is not a rhodochrosite crystal but is rather a stout and bright cleavage of virtually pure rhodochrosite from a very famous and classic Colorado locality. The Sunnyside mine was an underground gold mine worked intermittently from the 1880s until its closure in 1991. It is famous for its fluorite, gold, gypsum, pyroxmangite (often mistakenly labeled as rhodonite) and rhodochrosite specimens and has produced very many specimens from the collector. I've had specimens of all of these from this mine over the years--most of what I've been able to obtain is pyroxmangite (as lapidary grade material) and rhodochrosite. The mine achieved notoriety for the unbelievable mining disaster that occurred on June 4, 1978. The mine workings ran under Lake Emma and there was concern that too much water was coming in from the ceiling. The bottom of Lake Emma collapsed into the workings of the mine--flooding the mine and destroying much machinery and infrastructure. Fortunately, this took place on a Sunday when there were no crews underground! It took about 2 years to rehabilitate the mine but it was never the same afterward and slumping gold and base metal prices caused the mine to close in 1991. Specimens from here are always in great demand and this piece has better color than most that I've had over the years and is the single largest cleavage that I've had--most are a half-inch or so in size. This is my last remaining Sunnyside rhodo. Please check my feedback and my other eBay items. All specimens are carefully wrapped, come with complete and accurate labels and are quickly shipped. As always, your complete satisfaction is unconditionally guaranteed and I even offer FREE return shipping on any item that fails to satisfy for any reason---you can't go wrong. I'm reminded of the firm pledge printed on the old Foote Mineral Company mineral catalogs from more than a century ago, "Quality of specimens is assured as we permit return of specimens at our expense." Thanks for looking! I buy collections! Please contact me if you have a collection for sale or know of one that is available. I will pay a finder's fee to anyone that can point me to an eventual purchase!
Price: 125 USD
Location: San Tan Valley, Arizona
End Time: 2024-12-28T00:40:01.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
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Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Seller
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 14 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
