History · Geology
About Eastern Brazilian Pegmatite Province
The Eastern Brazilian Pegmatite Province — encompassing parts of Minas Gerais, Bahia, Rio Grande do Norte and Paraíba — is the world’s most productive Li-Be-Cs-rare-element pegmatite belt and the source of legendary gem material since the 16th century. The belt extends from Aimorés to Governador Valadares to Salinas to Itinga.
Geology
The pegmatites cut Proterozoic metamorphic basement and granitoid plutons. Late-stage Li-Cs-Ta-rich melts crystallized in zoned and miarolitic-cavity pegmatite bodies, producing exceptional gem pockets. Multiple sub-districts (Santa Maria, Conselheiro Pena, Galileia, Padre Paraíso) each preserve distinct paragenesis.
Notable Minerals
Beryl varieties (aquamarine, morganite, heliodor, goshenite — among world’s best), tourmaline (multicolor elbaite, schorl, dravite, watermelon), spodumene (kunzite — pink Li variety), lepidolite (sheets and books), feldspar (microcline, albite/cleavelandite), muscovite, biotite, smoky quartz (Brazilian giants), citrine (heat-treated amethyst), topaz (imperial sherry), phenakite, euclase (Capão sky-blue), brazilianite.
Collector Notes
Brazilian pegmatite specimens dominate the global gem mineral market. The province produces specimens at every collector level from accessible pieces to museum-grade rarities.
Minerals Produced Here
- Actinolite (阳起石)
- Agate (玛瑙)
- Albite (钠长石)
- Amethyst (紫水晶)
- Anatase (锐钛矿)
- Andalusite (红柱石)
- Beryl (绿柱石)
- Biotite (黑云母)
- Brazilianite (磷铝钠石)
- Chalcedony (玉髓)
- Chrysoberyl (金绿宝石)
- Citrine (黄水晶)
- Dolomite (白云石)
- Dravite (镁电气石)
- Elbaite (锂电气石)
- Euclase (蓝柱石)
- Goethite (针铁矿)
- Hematite (赤铁矿)
- Jasper (碧玉)
- Kyanite (蓝晶石)
- Lepidocrocite (纤铁矿)
- Lepidolite (锂云母)
- Magnesite (菱镁矿)
- Microcline (微斜长石)
- Monazite (独居石)
- Muscovite (白云母)
- Phenakite (似晶石)
- Quartz (石英 / 水晶)
- Rose Quartz (玫瑰石英)
- Rutile (金红石)
- Schorl (黑电气石)
- Spodumene (锂辉石)
- Titanite (Sphene) (榍石)
- Topaz (黄玉)
- Uvite (钙镁电气石)
- Wavellite (银星石)
- Xenotime (磷钇矿)
