Brazil is well known among mineral collectors for producing extremely large quantities of mineral specimens, gemstones, and other ornamental stones. It is very likely that Brazil has the largest amount of gem-bearing pegmatites out of any country though Madagascar and Pakistan may both be close behind. Brazil’s gem bearing pegmatites are most famous for their tourmalines but are also known for gorgeous specimens of gem beryls, topaz, apatite, rose quartz, phosphates and many others. Though Brazilian pegmatites are well documented, new minerals are still being discovered in the most complex ones. Some of the pegmatites have extremely large gem pockets- the Jonas Mine in Minas Gerais for example produced a famous room-sized pocket filled with gem tourmaline. The majority of pegmatites in Brazil are located in Minas Gerais and Bahia though there are important pegmatites in other states as well such as Paraiba and Rio Grande do Norte.
Brazil has many other kinds of mineral occurrences in other environments aside from granitic pegmatites too. Many minerals in Brazil are formed in very unusual environments. Imperial topaz, for example, is a bright orange or purple precious variety of topaz that is found in a mysterious environment- it is embedded in limonite and is believed to be weathered from its original source rock. Brazil is also home to numerous quartz veins found mostly in Bahia and Minas Gerais which produce large quartz points, mostly sold to the decorator and metaphysical trades by the tens of thousands. Extremely fine quartz of all varieties including amethyst, smoky, rose, rutilated, and tourmalinated are mined commercially. Brazil is the location where a large portion of amethyst cathedrals originate. These famous specimens are one of the most popular varieties mineral specimens in the world and have been produced in the tens of thousands. Carbonatites, emerald deposits, bauxites, alkali syenites, vuggy basalts, skarns, and and endless variety of other kinds of minerals have also been encountered in Brazil. Many minerals have even been discovered in the country. Some well known examples are brazilianite, goyazite, palladium, and chrysoberyl.
Though it is one of the largest producers of ornamental stones, gem rough, and mineral specimens in the world, Brazil’s production is quickly being surpassed by Pakistan and China’s consistent and seemingly endless production of specimens for low cost. Brazil still has resources of large quartz crystals, amethyst cathedrals, and gemstone rough which do not seem even close to depletion. Brazil is a country of high esteem for its minerals because it produces specimens of a tremendous variety, extremely high quality, and in great abundance- this is what makes it so significant among mineral collectors.