Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil
August 24, 2009 08:30 p.m. ( local time )
August 24“ Monday): Drive through Galileia and close to Conselheiro Pena to visit several mines.
Another spectacular day. What made it even more wonderful is the surprise. Our tour, due to its own nature has the surprise, the unexpected to astonish us all. The point is that the mining activity is very dynamic and mines pop up everywhere and all the time, and with the same speed other mines shut down. Some mines are there for many years, but they can be boring or be deactivated and we want to see what is hot, actual. In the meantime I have many strong contacts down there, and each contact (becoming a local guide) would take us to different spots.
Our plan for our stay in Governador Valadares was that light, as we had had many mining activities already. We planned to go to a close mine where most of similar tours take their guests and then come back to see dealers in the afternoon of the same day. But that didn’t happen. Our friends and guides knowing my nature for presenting the “real Mccoy”, and also knowing that the mine we intended to go had been temporarily deactivated, invited us for a little longer trip, and the adventure began…
We went first to a tourmaline mine of Pomarolli’s family almost at the boarder of Minas Gerais and EspÃrito Santo. We climbing a mountain of 300m high, which was a good exercising. Well, the videos and pictures will explain better all the fun and experience we had inside the tunnel mine on top of the mountain.
After that visit we stopped by in a nearby villagge for visiting a Brazilianite mine, but the miner was at home at that time. We than headed to his house to see his last findings. We then witnessed a real negotiation between the miner and Roberto - one of our local guide - that is a mineral distributor in Governador Valadares. And this is other beauty of our tours: you can see all levels of gem negotiations: between miners and distributors, between distributors and wholesalers, wholesalers and retailers and to the end consumers…
Next we headed to the famous “Frog Mine”. The mines in that area are similar to the emerald at Capoeirana, i.e. they have a deep vertical shaft going down and a miriade of tunnels interlacing underground. Because we tired we didn’t go inside any of the mines and just had a tour around. We talk to miners around that showed us their latest findings, etc. Next we went to the ranch of Nelson the showed us a breathtaking extraordinary collection of quartz crystal formations. Again we could witness the negotiation between Nelson and my friend local guide and gemstone distributor Julio Bortoluzzi.
Going back to Governador Valadares there was a suggestion to stop another mine only in order to pay a visit to an older miner and international gem dealer that is now only a humble miner. He is a personal friend of our friend Dr. Toni and acquaintance of our local guides. Hiro, the japanese, is currently in very delicate financial situation (as he was a millionaire not long ago as a diamond dealer and miner owner), and now is digging himself a tourmaline mine. That was impressive to see. More impressive was to see the happiness of having our visit and everybody could notice the sparkle in his eyes when saying about the possibility of find gems and becoming rich again soon…
Back to the hotel in Governador Valadares (pictures enclosed)… What an amazing another day…
Crystal wall inside a tourmaline vein
Following the tourmaline veins we were astonished by a crystal wall.
Crystal wall inside a tourmaline vein
Following the tourmaline veins we were astonished by a crystal wall.
Tourmaline vein inside a mine
Inside Pomarolli’s mine following tourmaline vein in pegmatite
Tourmaline vein inside a mine
Inside Pomarolli’s mine following tourmaline vein in pegmatite
Hotel Real Minas, Governador Valadares
Hotel Real Minas in Governador Valadares where we stayed.
Overlooking a shaft of a tourmaline mine
Walking to the Frog Mine
A shaft of an aquamarine mine at Frog Mine
Frog mine crystal warehouse
Frog Mine resting place
Frog Mine eating fresh picked guava
Frog mine crystal warehouse
Mr. Pomarolli with a light
Group inside a tunnel of Pomarollis’ mine
Group inside a tunnel of Pomarollis’ mine
Frog Mine gathering wiht garimpeiros
Group inside a tunnel of Pomarollis’ mine
Group inside a tunnel of Pomarollis’ mine
Group at the brazilianite miner’s house
Group at the brazilianite miner’s house
