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Tobi
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Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4181
Location: Germany
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 Posted: Mar 18, 2018 03:39 Post subject: Sweet Home Mine 2.0 |
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Hi, did anyone hear about the "Detroit City Mine" project by Collector's Edge? I was just browsing their website when I found an article about their new project to (maybe) find a "new" Sweet Home Mine near the actual Sweet Home Mine:
https://collectorsedge.com/blogs/detroit-city-mine-updates/detroit-city-another-chapter-in-the-www.spam.orgof-sweet-home-rhodochrosite
I really like the idea that the surroundings of a famous mineral occurence could bear unkown treasures similar to the famous ones. Actually I often thought exactly what Collector's Edge did now: Could there be great rhodochrosites (similar to those from Sweet Home) near the mine? Of course I also think there could be great minerals near many other famous localities, maybe there's even a very very very very very small chance that there are extraordinary galenas somewhere near Neudorf in the Harz Mountains ... ;-)
It's great that someone now tries to (literally) get to the bottom of that question concerning the Sweet Home Mine :-) |
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Gagat Minerals
Joined: 08 Nov 2017
Posts: 43
Location: Greater London
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| Posted: Mar 18, 2018 04:38 Post subject: Re: Sweet Home Mine 2.0 |
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| Tobi - by the way, did you observe the last 'Neudorf'-auction on e-Bay from the end of February? Absolutely "normal" galena (price range €30-€70, whole specimen size 6cm x 6cm, 70% of siderite) sold for absolutely "abnormal" price above €495, ONLY because of the locality ... |
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Tobi
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Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4181
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Mar 18, 2018 07:21 Post subject: Re: Sweet Home Mine 2.0 |
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| Gagat Minerals wrote: | | Tobi - by the way, did you observed last 'Neudorf'-auction on e-Bay from the end of February? Absolutely "normal" galena (price range €30-€70, whole specimen size 6cm x 6cm, 70% of siderite) sold for absolutely "abnormal" price above €495, ONLY because of the locality ... |
No, I didn't purchase minerals from eBay for many years now. I think we should discuss mineral prices via PM, not here ;-) |
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Gagat Minerals
Joined: 08 Nov 2017
Posts: 43
Location: Greater London
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| Posted: Mar 18, 2018 07:28 Post subject: Re: Sweet Home Mine 2.0 |
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| it was more about collectors madness - not prices :) |
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Peter Lemkin
Joined: 18 Nov 2016
Posts: 398
Location: Prague
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| Posted: Mar 18, 2018 08:21 Post subject: Re: Sweet Home Mine 2.0 |
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| Tobi wrote: | Hi, did anyone hear about the "Detroit City Mine" project by Collector's Edge? I was just browsing their website when I found an article about their new projekt to (maybe) find a "new" Sweet Home Mine near the actual Sweet Home Mine:
I really like the idea that the surroundings of a famous mineral occurence could bear unkown treasures similar to the famous ones. Actually I often thought exactly what Collector's Edge did now: Could there be great rhodochrosites (similar to those from Sweet Home) near the mine? Of course I also think there could be great minerals near many other famous localities, maybe there's even a very very very very very small chance that there are extraordinary galenas somewhere near Neudorf in the Harz Mountains ... ;-)
It's great that someone now tries to (literally) get to the bottom of that question concerning the Sweet Home Mine :-) |
Wow! Obviously a well-funded venture! I wish them luck. On many occasions, over decades, I explored that valley and the trails [and off trails] on that side of Mt. Bross looking for interesting minerals [rhodochrosite would have weathered away most likely]. I found a few interesting pieces - but nothing special and nothing that made me want to dig much nor see if it could be claimed. As my dog and I were up there we often watched the work below at the Sweet Home - realizing what treasures were just a few thousand feet away. Some working at the Sweet Home would wave as I drove past, if there, but no one ever invited me in - not surprised ;-). To me, when I saw specimens from the Sweet Home at shows or even in mineral magazines, just having been at the exact area made it all that more special to me. In my collection, if possible, I try to put a photo of the location next to the specimens. Location means so much more than most can understand. In fact, one of the Czech Republic's most famous mineralogists [who I shall not here name] was showing me his fantastic collection and realized he had lost the location to a really beautiful specimen. He looked and looked and then said he would throw it away, as without its location it was 'useless'. I had him throw it away in my direction. I like location, but will not throw away a beautiful specimen just because it lacks one. It has on its label 'Earth'. |
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Phil Persson
Joined: 15 Mar 2018
Posts: 4
Location: Denver
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| Posted: Mar 18, 2018 11:06 Post subject: Re: Sweet Home Mine 2.0 |
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Hi All-
Thanks for the interest in the "new Sweet Home mine" project. I work for Collector's Edge Minerals so I can tell you a little about it, though most of the information is in the website article I wrote which Tobi posted a link to.
The project is called the "Detroit City Mine", which is after the original name of the block of claims which included the Sweet Home claim... Bryan Lees (founder and president of CE) is also from the Detroit Area and loves cars, so it was a good name coincidence.
The Detroit City mine is an entirely separate mine from the Sweet Home; approximately 80 m. vertically above the old Sweet Home adit- there are multiple reasons why the decision was made to start a new tunnel and not expand the old Sweet Home mine. The Sweet Home vein system is steeply-dipping and we believe productive rhodochrosite pocket zone extends vertically upward from the old Sweet Home mine workings, so that is our main target.
The mine is currently closed for the winter but we will resume mining activites later this spring, and we may reach the first potential target zone later this upcoming summer. But, as with any mining or mineral exploration project there are lots of unknowns, so we will just have to wait and see what we find. I will be assisting with geology related to specimen mining and well as specimen collecting this coming summer, and will be posting lots of photos and updates both on our website as well as social media accounts (instagram, facebook), so stay tuned! :)
cheers,
Phil Persson |
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Tobi
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Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4181
Location: Germany
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Tobi
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Location: Germany
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Bob Harman
Joined: 06 Nov 2015
Posts: 765
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| Posted: Apr 05, 2019 07:14 Post subject: Re: Sweet Home Mine 2.0 |
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Tobi,
Nice group of collated news articles and pictures about this potential locality. Some take aways from all this include.....
Currently, it takes a lot of time, effort, and a whole lot of $$$$ to bring out much of the hi quality mineral specimens in the USA. A number of other similar large USA specimen mining operations could also be mentioned. These would be in addition to commercial ore mines where minerals specimens are a side find of the mining.
If, and when, the rewards, from this mining operation, do not exceed the time, money, and effort, this specimen mining operation will be shut down. This is just as the original Sweet Home mine operation was.
As a result, virtually all currently found, and future finds of hi quality USA mineral specimens will be very pricey.
In addition, it would be possible for the specimen mining people to control the number and quality of their mined specimens coming onto the market with all those consequences.
Unless there is $$$ backing for large scale development, it may be that, for field collectors or small scale operations, the days of finding truly hi quality mineral specimens in the USA are largely (but probably not completely !) over. Bob |
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