8 days/7nights or 12 days/11nights Gem Storm
Tour takes place in the Southeast of Brazil, in the state of Minas
Gerais, and has two stages, an 8 day tour or extended 12 day tour. The first stage or 8 day tour takes you to the coloured stone world. We'll start at the Imperial Topaz and Euclase in Ouro Preto, a famous UNESCO world's heritage site, and includes a lecture at the Federal Mining University Museum of Mineralogy. Next, we will go to the Emerald mines in Itabira, then head North to Governador Valadares and Teófilo Otoni into the fields of tourmaline, aquamarine, chrysoberyl, alexandrite, blue Topaz, just to mention a few.The State of Minas Gerais is the primary location of the major gemstone companies in Brazil and the centre of manufacturing for Brazil’s growing jewellery industry. In Teófilo Otoni city, a tax free trade centre in Minas Gerais, Brazil, you'll fully enjoy your visit to FIPP, the true gemstone show where you will have an opportunity to meet and purchase at the source from both the humblest “garimpeiro” and the largest producers in Brazil.

Start of travels: August 21, 2009
End of travels: September 01, 2009