Andrade mine, João Monlevade, Minas Gerais, Brazili

Regional Level Types
Andrade mine	Mine
João Monlevade	Municipality
Minas Gerais	State
Brazil	Country

A large open pit iron mine where the main ore is Hematite. In this mine was a vein/layer of fine-grained specular hematite that in addition to sparkling in the sun, was iridescent. The iridescence caused by a nanoscale phosphate mineral upon which a fair amount of work was done to determine what it was. It is apparently a new mineral nicely oriented on the surface of the tiny hematite crystals, but because of its size, it has not been granted new species status by the IMA.

A container load (about 15 tons) of the iridescent material was collected and imported into the United States and distributed to many different mineral dealers. The material was mostly confined to one dealer and the locality that was given out for the fine was Belo Horizonte. No more accurate information was given out at the time to protect the commercial interests of a number of individuals and to keep the mine from being inundated by people wanting to get some of the material. Many years have passed and the dealer (Rock Currier) feels that it is time that the detailed locality should be set forth for posterity sake. This was a one-time occurrence, not because the material was exhausted in the mine, but because the mining of this small amount of material disrupted the mining plan of the mine and management decided that a small sale like this one was not worth their time and effort. As an interesting aside, the mining company on occasion would scoop up a truckload or two of this colorful material and scatter it on the streets of a local small town on the occasion of a particular festival. Much to the importers' amazement, the material was also used in fashion jewelry. The importer never thought of it in terms of being anything other than "color rock". (Rock Currier, 2010)

The deposit was worked already in the early 19th century, and for some time also produced gold, minor quantities of which are contained in the iron ore.

Located in the border of João Monlevade and Bela Vista de Minas municipalities.

Mindat Articles

A story about color rock by Rock Currier

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References