The Mining Process- Part I

If you read this blog you probably have some idea about how amethyst geodes are mined, but perhaps some of you do not. If you are a dealer, chances are your customers don't know much about the mining process. Feel free to steal my pictures and explanations. If you have a client email list, forward them a link to my blog. I think they will be grateful for the information. In this post I will talk about the amethyst mine. The world's largest amethyst ore is in southern Brazil, near the Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina state border. It is in an agricultural area of soy, and tobacco. As you can see from the photo, the mining process is horizontal rather than vertical. You dig across rather than down. The "digging" starts at the base of a hill and moves forward horizontally along a vane. The hillside is made mostly of basalt. At the entrance of the mines there is usually a large pile of broken basalt rocks. Once an entrance is made the vane can "fork" several times, depending on where there seem to be the most geodes in the basalt. In my next post I will tell you more about the process inside the mine, but I can't tell you everything now, I need you to come back in a few days to read the next post.

Exposol Part III- The Best Part

Of course what matters most to the mineral lovers out there are the special specimens available at the show. I am far from a great photographer. Often my photos don't do justice to the pieces, but I'll try to get better as time goes on. These are amazing specimens at the show I am sure you will love. Don't drool on your keyboards please.

The first picture in this post is of a set of stalactite formations in agate. It has great color and little micro crystals give it a special shine and reflectiveness. It was behind glass so I got too much glare from the flash.

The second picture is of an agate geode with a selenite crystal formation that grew inside it. The agate of the geode is polished. The colors are more earth tones, so the color doesn't catch your eye. The piece is also displayed poorly- sitting on the ground and not in a base. Displayed properly the incredibly rare selenite crystal would be more obvious, increasing the perceived value of the piece. There are a lot of pieces out there where selenite is glued on to a matrix of some sort, and others found naturally in an amethyst geode. This is the first I have ever seen in a agate geode. Very special.

The third picture is of a rose amethyst geode, polished on the outside. It's about 16 inches tall and 30 lbs. The color and shape are fantastic and incredibly rare. It was sold for U$6000.

The final picture speaks for itself. An agate slice pair, butterfly style. Great shape, color, and design. It will be a while before you will see another like this one.

Well, I hope you enjoyed checking these out as much as I did. Perhaps next year you can come to the Exposol and see for yourself. I'll be glad to help you make it happen.

Exposol Part II

Exposol is more than just a gem and mineral show. It is also a regional outlet for various business interests and a source of entertainment for the locals. Besides the gem and mineral booths, there are expos of various products you might expect to find in a county fair... tractors, horses, animal feed, musical acts, and of course lots of great junk food. Instead of a corny dog you can get a grilled beef/sausage/chicken heart sandwich, a Swiss crepe filled with cheese or some other filling, or chocolate covered strawberries on a stick.

As a major regional event, it is a place to see and be seen. The mineral buyers come early and get out of the way before Saturday when the commotion starts. On Saturday the governor of the state Mrs. Yeda Crusius came (in the second picture). She shook hands, kissed babies, and posed for pictures with the important business and political "bosses," as well as the queen and princesses of the fair.

Exposol- Latin Americas Biggest Gem and Mineral Fair

This is my first attempt at a blog. My website has still not left the “under construction” fase. I hope to get it there soon, but in the meantime I thought I would get some practice by starting a blog. Exposol was the perfect opportunity to get started. Exposol is Latin America’s largest gem and mineral fair. Minerals from all over Brazil are available, and it is a great time to find rare and extreme specimens. Buyers from all over the world come to find collector quality items. The fair however is just where the action starts. Soledade, the city that hosts the event, is in Rio Grande do Sul and is a major center for the Brazilian mineral business. There are dozens of companies that are involved in mining, production, jewelry design, and lapidating. There the business that starts at the fair gets fleshed out into bigger deals. I’ll soon post more pictures and tell you more about what happened at Exposol.