Sweet Home Mine Collection

The Sweet Home Mine produced many of the world’s best rhodochrosite specimens. It’s bright red color and gemmy interior place this mineral among the most desirable of all mineral species. In 1991, Bryan and Kathryn Lees of Collector’s Edge Minerals, Inc., and several key investors, entered into a leasing agreement with the Sweet Home Mine owner, Leonard Beach, to operate and mine the Sweet Home over the next several years, under the name “Sweet Home Rhodo, Inc.”. This enterprise would lead to the unprecedented discovery of the world’s finest rhodochrosite specimen, the “Alma King”, and many other world-class specimens. The “Alma King” and the “Crystal Wall”, a 7-foot by 8 foot reconstructed pocket, sprinkled with hundreds of deep red, translucent rhodochrosite crystals from the Sweet Home mine, now reside in the Denver Museum of Natural History.

After 13 years of operation by Collector’s Edge and Sweet Home Rhodo, Inc., the mine was permanently closed and sealed shut in 2004. While the Sweet Home was no more, Collector’s Edge continued prospecting and planning – leading to the opening of a new mine, the Detroit City Portal, approximately 200 feet above the original portal on Mt. Bross, in 2016. After two years of prep work, specimens started to be recovered in the 2018 season. Since then, the Detroit City Portal has yielded quality rhodochrosite specimens, as well as a number of secondary minerals – including fluorite, fluorapatite, calcite, svanbergite, and various sulfides. After six years of mining, the mine was permanently closed in September, 2024. No more specimens will be recovered.

Because of their remarkable quality, rarity, and aesthetics, fine specimens from the Sweet Home Mine / Detroit City Portal are coveted and cherished by collectors worldwide.