Why Collect Brazilian Minerals?

Brazilian minerals are some of the most popular specimens for mineral collectors to purchase and display. Many Brazilian mines produce specimens that are very colorful, well crystallized, and large so they stand out when displayed. A good portion of amethyst cathedral specimens, which are extremely popular display items even among non mineral collectors originate in the Rio Grande do Sul State of Brazil. Pegmatite minerals and large, clear quartz crystals are other popular specimens from the country and mostly originate from the Bahia and Minas Gerais States. Out of all the pegmatite minerals, elbaite tourmaline is the one that has given Brazil its reputation of being a great producer of gems. Elbaite tourmaline in nearly every color, often polychrome can be found in large crystals that not only look amazing, but make great investment objects since tourmaline is quite valuable. Tourmalines, beryls, quartzes, apatites, and other minerals from Brazil look great wirewrapped and is considered to be choice, slightly vintage material and is treasured for its vibrant colors, which just aren’t seen in many wrapable gem crystals being mined these days.

Brazil, while it does provide the ornamental stone and mineral specimen market with an enormous amount of specimens, seems to be tapering in terms of providing the supply it formerly did. Brazilian pegmatite minerals especially have seen market competition with pegmatite minerals from Pakistan which are produced in great quantities and can be offered for more reasonable prices. Brazil also lacks fine specimens of particular minerals found elsewhere, particularly fluorite, calcite, and metallic minerals like sphalerite, pyrite, galena, and sulfosalts. For a nation that is so well known for its minerals, it is strange that it does not produce so many common species.

Brazilian gemstone rough is also of considerable quality. Aside from tourmaline, which has been covered very thorougly above, Brazil’s mines have yielded excellent alexandrites, emeralds, garnets, aquamarines, heliodors, and some of the world’s finest natural blue topaz. Some of the topaz from the Brazilian mines approaches a turquoise color, which is extremely rare in nature. Still, be careful to check the authenticity of any Brazilian faceted stone you purchase. It may be heat treated or color enhanced by other means.