Antonio Pereira Imperial Topaz Mine

Garimpo em Mariana - Vermelhão Mine


Useful Information

photography
Imperial Topaz, Vermelhão Mine, Ouro Prêto, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Public Domain.
photography
Imperial Topaz, Vermelhão Mine, Ouro Prêto, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Public Domain.
Location: Antonio Pereira, north of Ouro Preto.
(20°18'13.80"S, 43°28'35.22"W)
Open:  
Fee:  
Classification: MineTopaz mine
Light: LightIncandescent
Dimension:  
Guided tours:  
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
bibliography: J.P. Cassedanne (1989): Famous mineral localities: the Ouro Preto topaz mines Mineralogical Record, 20(3), 221-233.
Address:  
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1702 founded by an emancipated slave.
1888 mine closed.
1973 topaz in rich sherry colors of superior quality found.

Description

Antonio Pereira is an imperial topaz mine worked by garimpeiros (individual miners). It is also known as Vermelhão Mine.


Topaz is extracted by largely open-air workings in deeply weathered marble. The marble has largely turned to unstable clay and the topaz crystals remain. This was a truly Dickensian operation with lots of small boys and a few bosses, who each seem to have a small part of the field. The mine is located on the steep hillside below the Cave of Our Lady of Lapa, where it makes a prominent scar. The deeper and underground parts of the mine look quite dangerous. Poor quality stones are sold to tourists.


Text by Tony Oldham (2002). With kind permission.