Save the Scenic Santa Ritas (SSSR) is a non-profit organization whose volunteers aim to "protect the scenic, aesthetic, recreational, environmental and wildlife values of the Santa Rita Mountains, Patagonia Mountains, Canelo Hills and San Rafael Valley" by educating citizens through outreach programs about the protection of these areas from mining. The group began by focusing on stopping ASARCO/Forest Service land exchanges taking place in the Rosemont Valley of the Santa Ritas. ASARCO aimed to open an open pit copper mine in the area that would, according to SSSR and concerned citizens, devastate the area. The land exchange proposal was quashed in 1998. Yet, in 2005, August Resource--a small Canadian mining company--purchased the Rosemont Ranch with aims to establish a large open pit copper mine. SSSR and concerned citizens worried that Augusta Resource would dump waste on the Coronado National Forest lands, which are public lands set aside for preservation and future generations. The group continues to monitor these areas with the goal to assure no mining takes place in the area. Gayle Hartmann, who has worked as a scientific editor, archaeologist, historian, and conservationist for the past 40 years, is currently the president of SSSR and provided the items in this collection.

In the collection are records including: meeting agendas, minutes, press releases, news stories, informational bulletins and event announcements. The SSSR records are divided into four series based on material type: Series I: Correspondence; Series II: Organization materials; Series III: Press coverage on mining issues, the Santa Ritas and surrounding areas, and SSSR activities; Series IV: Articles and publications relating to mining and other SSSR related research.