Glossary
Brazil
Brazil is the type locality of Paraíba tourmaline and an important source of emerald, alexandrite and diamond. Most deposits lie in the pegmatite regions of Minas Gerais, Bahia and the north-east of the country.
Paraíba tourmaline
In 1989, after years of searching, the prospector Heitor Dimas Barbosa found tourmaline of unprecedented brilliance near São José da Batalha in the state of Paraíba. The cause is copper. The richest pockets were exhausted within a few years; stones from this first find are now collector’s pieces.
Emerald, alexandrite, diamond
After Zambia and Colombia, Brazil is the third-largest emerald producer. In 1987 the country’s most important alexandrite deposit, with a strong colour change, was discovered at Hematita in Minas Gerais. From the 18th century Brazil succeeded India as the main diamond source; today it yields occasional coloured diamonds.
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Updated 2026-10-06