Megan's Fun Facts: Colored Stones from Brazil -- AQUAMARINE

Aquamarine, March’s birthstone, is said to symbolize courage, creativity, health, perception and hope. The blue of aquamarine is a divine, eternal color and represents the color of the sky. This beautiful stone also symbolizes the stone given for the 19th wedding anniversary.

Iron is the substance which gives aquamarine its color, a color which ranges from an almost indiscernible pale blue to a strong sea-blue. As the color intensifies, the more expensive the gem becomes. Some aquamarines have a light, greenish shimmer. However, it is the pure, clear blue that continues to epitomize this beautiful gem. Its light blue arouses feelings of sympathy, trust, harmony and friendship.

Aquamarine is almost entirely free of inclusions. This gem has a hardness which makes it very tough and helps protect from scratches. The rare, intense blue aquamarines from the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Brazil are called 'Santa Maria'. The 'Espirito Santo' from the Brazilian state of that name is known as a lighter blue aquamarine. The finest Brazilian aquamarine comes from the Marambaia Valley, north of Teófilo Otoni, located in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Significant aquamarine finds in Minas Gerais include the near-flawless 244 lbs, 552,500 carat Papamel Aquamarine. This aquamarine was found in 1910 from the Papamel mine (also known as Batadal mine) along the Marambaia River, 12 miles east of the village of Ponto de Marambaia.

Megan's Fun Facts: Colored Stones from Brazil -- TOPAZ

Topaz is made up of fluorine, aluminum and silicate and is found in many colors and can be colorless, much like diamonds.

Pure topaz is colorless and transparent but is usually tinted by impurities. Topaz is typically found in the colors wine, yellow, pale gray or reddish-orange, blue brown. It can also be made white, pale green, blue, gold, pink (rare), reddish-yellow or opaque to transparent/translucent.

Orange topaz (“Precious Topaz”) is the traditional November birthstone, the symbol of friendship, is also the state gemstone for Utah.

Imperial topaz is yellow, pink (rare, if natural) or pink-orange. Brazilian Imperial Topaz can often have a bright yellow to deep golden brown hue, sometimes even violet. Many brown or pale topazes are treated to make them bright yellow, gold, pink or violet colored. Some Imperial topaz stones can fade on exposure to sunlight for an extended period of time. This beautiful stone symbolizes the stone given for the 23rd wedding anniversary.

Mystic topaz is colorless topaz which has been artificially coated giving it the desired rainbow effect.

Blue topaz is the state gemstone for Texas, the modern birthstone for December and represents the 4th wedding anniversary. Naturally occurring blue topaz is quite rare. Typically colorless, gray or pale yellow and blue material is heat treated and irradiated to produce a more desired darker blue color.

In mysticism, the topaz is attributed with a cooling, styptic and appetizing effect. It is said to dispel sadness, anger and nocturnal fears. The Orange topaz is said to symbolize courage, fidelity, wisdom and serenity. The Blue topaz is said to symbolize success, love, luck, happiness and prosperity.

Topaz mining in Brazil dates back to the 1700s. Imperial Topaz was originally mined in the “topaz belt” of Minas Gerais, near the mining town of Ouro Prêto.

Megan's Fun Facts: Colored Stones from Brazil -- AQUAMARINE

Aquamarine, March’s birthstone, is said to symbolize courage, creativity, health, perception and hope. The blue of aquamarine is a divine, eternal color and represents the color of the sky. This beautiful stone also symbolizes the stone given for the 19th wedding anniversary.

Iron is the substance which gives aquamarine its color, a color which ranges from an almost indiscernible pale blue to a strong sea-blue. As the color intensifies, the more expensive the gem becomes. Some aquamarines have a light, greenish shimmer. However, it is the pure, clear blue that continues to epitomize this beautiful gem. Its light blue arouses feelings of sympathy, trust, harmony and friendship.

Aquamarine is almost entirely free of inclusions. This gem has a hardness which makes it very tough and helps protect from scratches. The rare, intense blue aquamarines from the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Brazil are called 'Santa Maria'. The 'Espirito Santo' from the Brazilian state of that name is known as a lighter blue aquamarine. The finest Brazilian aquamarine comes from the Marambaia Valley, north of Teófilo Otoni, located in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Significant aquamarine finds in Minas Gerais include the near-flawless 244 lbs, 552,500 carat Papamel Aquamarine. This aquamarine was found in 1910 from the Papamel mine (also known as Batadal mine) along the Marambaia River, 12 miles east of the village of Ponto de Marambaia.

Megan's Fun Facts: MINING IN BRAZIL

MINING IN MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL



The state of Minas Gerais is one of 26 Brazilian states, located on the western side of the Southeastern Subdivision. The name Minas Gerais ("General Mines") refers back to the 18th and 19th centuries, when large mines produced gold and precious stones in the state. Minas Gerais still produces about 80% of Brazil's precious gems and minerals, including emerald, alexandrite and topaz.

The cities of Governador Valadares and Teófilo Otoni to the north-east, have established themselves as major hubs of the gem-trading industry, due to their proximity to some of the richest gem mines. Minas Gerais is rich in quantities of aquamarine, chrysoberyl, emerald, kunzite, morganite, tourmaline and topaz.

BRAZILIAN GEM SHOW: Saturday, October 23rd