Gem Pegmatites of Minas Gerais, Brazil: The Tourmalines of the Governador Valadares District

The previous article in this series focused on tourmaline production around the city of Araçuaí, in northeastern Minas Gerais, and discussed 20 important mines in that area. The present article turns to the major tourmaline mines in southeast Minas Gerais, in the broad area surrounding the gemstone capital, Governador Valadares. Specifically, the Cruzeiro, Golconda, Santa Rosa, and Jonas mines — all of which count among the most famous tourmaline mines in the world — are described.