- THE BEAUTY OF GEMS AND JEWELS
HAS ENTRANCED MANY AN EXPLORER
AND INSPIRED COUNTLESS
TREASURE HUNTS,
INCLUDING OUR NEXT VOYAGE
TO A COUNTRY WITH THE BIGGEST
VARIETY OF THEM ALL:
BRAZIL.
MY NAME IS THOMAS NAGIN,
AND I'M A MINERAL EXPLORER.
FOR THE LAST 35 YEARS,
I'VE TRAVELED THE WORLD
IN SEARCH OF THE FINEST GEMS,
CRYSTALS, AND MINERALS.
[laughs]
NOW I'M TAKING YOU
ALONG WITH ME.
OH, IT'S HUMID IN HERE.
WE'LL VISIT SOME
OF THE RICHEST MINES
AND DISCOVER JUST WHAT IT TAKES
TO UNEARTH
THESE NATURAL TREASURES.
IT'S GONNA BE
ONE HECK OF AN EXPLOSION.
[explosion]
IT'S OKAY.
COME ON.
BELO HORIZONTE IS THE CAPITAL
CITY OF MINAS GERAIS,
THE MOST MINERAL-RICH STATE
IN BRAZIL
AND ONE OF THE MOST MINERAL-RICH
REGIONS IN THE WORLD.
BUT THIS ADVENTURE TAKES US
TO GOVERNADOR VALADARES
ALONG A HISTORIC ROUTE TRAVELED
BY SOME INFAMOUS EXPLORERS
OF THE 17TH AND 18TH CENTURY.
HEY, JOHN, HOW'S IT GOING?
CAN YOU HEAR ME ALL RIGHT?
I'VE KNOWN JOHN
FOR OVER 15 YEARS.
HE'S A GOOD FRIEND
AND MY GO-TO CONNECTION
FOR BRAZILIAN GEMS
AND MINERALS.
WATCH OUT
FOR THESE CRAZY DRIVERS HERE.
- YEAH,
ESPECIALLY THIS ONE
FOLLOWING ME.
- HE'S WELL-RESPECTED
IN THE MINERAL COMMUNITY.
AND HAVING LIVED IN BRAZIL
FOR OVER 25 YEARS,
HE'S ALSO A GREAT SOURCE
OF LOCAL HISTORY.
- THE BANDEIRANTES■
WERE THE MEN OF THE BANDEIRA,
THE MEN OF THE FLAG.
THEY WERE THE ORIGINAL EXPLORERS
THAT CAME THROUGH THIS AREA,
BASICALLY THIS SAME ROUTE HERE,
VERY CLOSE,
LOOKING FOR EMERALD
FOR THE KING OF PORTUGAL.
THAT WAS THEIR GOAL:
TO DISCOVER EMERALD.
THEY DIDN'T.
THEY PASSED IT RIGHT BY.
- SO THEY WERE GOING
FOR THE EMERALDS.
THEY CAMPED ON TOP OF IT
AND DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT.
- THAT'S THE HISTORY OF MINING,
ISN'T IT?
[laughter]
YOU PASS EVERYTHING RIGHT BY.
AND SOME OTHER GUY
COMES ALONG...
- AND GETS IT.
- AND JUST SLIPS OVER IT
AND GETS IT VERY EASILY.
- A MODERN CITY ON THE BANKS
OF THE RIO DOCE,
GOVERNADOR VALADARES IS FAMOUS
FOR ITS BUSTLING MINERAL TRADE,
BUT IT HAS ANOTHER CLAIM
TO FAME.
- [screaming]
- TOWERING 11,023 METERS
ABOVE SEA LEVEL,
THE IBITURUNA PEAK IS
THE WORLD-CLASS DESTINATION
FOR PARAGLIDING,
WITH FANTASTIC VIEWS OF THE CITY
AND A THRILL LIKE NO OTHER.
[laughter]
- [laughing]
- BUT I PREFER THE THRILL
OF THE HUNT.
AND IF IT'S MINERALS
YOU'RE HUNTING,
THIS IS THE PLACE TO DO IT.
WE'VE ARRIVED.
IT MAY BE LESS HEART-POUNDING
THAN JUMPING OFF A MOUNTAIN,
BUT THE VIEWS ARE JUST
AS STUNNING.
HERE YOU'LL FIND
ONE OF THE LARGEST SELECTIONS
OF GEM MINERALS
IN THEIR NATURAL FORM.
NOW, THESE SPECIMENS COULD BE
CUT INTO GEMSTONES,
BUT INSTEAD, THEY'RE APPRECIATED
FOR THEIR NATURAL BEAUTY.
UNLIKE GEM MINERALS,
RUTILE CAN'T BE FACETED
OR POLISHED,
BUT ITS LONG, THIN
TITANIUM CRYSTALS--
ONCE SAID TO BE CUPID'S DARTS--
STRIKE A CHORD IN THE HEARTS
OF MINERAL COLLECTORS
AROUND THE WORLD.
[both speaking foreign language]
- HE'S GOT TWO BIG PIECES HERE.
AND THEY'RE VERY DELICATE.
THESE TWO PIECES HERE
HE'S ASKING $10,000 FOR.
THIS IS ALL RUTILE
STANDING STRAIGHT UP
OUT OF THE MATRIX
WITH QUARTZ STICKING OUT THERE.
I ALMOST KNOCKED IT
OFF THE PORCH.
THAT WOULDN'T BE GOOD,
$10,000 PIECE OFF THE EDGE.
[laughs]
THIS IS A REALLY NICE
RUTILE STAR HERE.
RUTILE CAN GROW IN THE FORM
OF STARS,
WHICH ARE SOUGHT AFTER
BY COLLECTORS.
MANY TIMES,
IT RADIATES OUT OF HEMATITE,
WHICH IS A SHINY BLACK MINERAL.
BUT, REALLY,
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE COMPOSITION.
ONE THING YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED
TO DO IS BUY AT NIGHT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE RULES
OF BUYING STONES.
DON'T BUY AT NIGHT.
BUT I MIGHT
MAKE AN EXCEPTION HERE
BECAUSE THESE ARE SOME
EXCEPTIONAL RUTILES.
[laughs]
[laughs]
[speaking foreign language]
GETTING THESE REALLY DELICATE
MINERALS OUT OF BRAZIL
AND SAFELY INTO A COLLECTOR'S
CABINET IS NO EASY TASK.
WHAT'S THE SECRET?
FOAM BOXES AND TOILET PAPER,
LOTS OF TOILET PAPER.
THIS NEXT MINERAL
IS PRIZED AS BOTH A GEMSTONE
AND A NATURAL SPECIMEN.
WHEN THE BANDEIRANTES■
STUMBLED UPON IT,
THEY'D THOUGHT
THEY FOUND EMERALDS.
AND IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY.
WHILE TOURMALINE CAN BE GREEN
AND TRANSLUCENT,
IT ALSO OCCURS IN A WIDE VARIETY
OF COLORS,
MAKING IT A GREAT ADDITION
TO ANY MINERAL COLLECTION.
I JUST SAW A COUPLE OF PIECES
THAT I REALLY, REALLY LIKE.
HAVE A LOOK.
IT SHOULD BE INTERESTING.
IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS,
DON'T DROOL
OVER THE BEST PIECES.
PASS THEM UP
AND COME BACK TO THEM LATER.
EACH ONE OF THESE PIECES
IS 25 CARATS,
REALLY LARGE.
HE SAYS IT'S VERY DIFFICULT
TO GET THIS COLOR OF TOURMALINE.
- PROBLEM WITH INDICOLITE,
A LOT OF TIMES,
IS IT TENDS TO BE TOO DARK.
- YEAH.
THESE ARE NOT TOO DARK.
- NO, THEY'RE NOT TOO DARK.
OKAY, SO THAT MAKES THEM
A LOT FINER
AND A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE STONE.
- TOURMALINES ARE NOT CHEAP.
[laughs]
ANOTHER THING I'VE LEARNED
OVER THE YEARS
IS DON'T MAKE AN OFFER
RIGHT AWAY.
ASK THE SELLER
HOW MUCH HE WANTS.
IT COULD BE LESS
THAN YOU WERE ANTICIPATING.
THEN MAKE YOUR OFFER.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO OFFER
TOO MUCH
OR TOO LITTLE.
DEPENDING ON THE SELLER,
HE COULD BE OFFENDED OR THINK
THAT YOU'RE NOT A SERIOUS BUYER.
BUT THE BEST TOOL
IN THESE SITUATIONS
IS TO USE YOUR INTUITION
AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE MARKET.
AND AS ALWAYS,
BE RESPECTFUL.
OKAY.
- [speaking foreign language]
- MY SIGN--
MY SIGNATURE?
- NO. NO.
- [speaking foreign language]
- [speaking foreign language]
WE HAVE A DEAL.
THE ONLY THING IS
HE WANTS A COPY OF OUR MOVIE.
[laughs]
OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
- GOOD LUCK.
- OH, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WAS REALLY NERVOUS,
'CAUSE THIS IS
ONE OF THE BIGGEST PURCHASES
I'VE EVER MADE.
THE TOURMALINES
ARE REALLY EXPENSIVE NOW.
I FELT REALLY RELIEVED
AFTER GETTING IT,
BECAUSE IT'S REALLY HARD TO--
WHEN YOU SEE BEAUTIFUL MINERALS
LIKE THIS,
EVEN WHEN THEY'RE REALLY
EXPENSIVE,
IT'S REALLY HARD
TO WALK AWAY.
TOURMALINE,
THE OCTOBER BIRTHSTONE,
IS SAID TO STRENGTHEN THE BODY
AND SPIRIT
AND INSPIRE CREATIVITY.
AND MOTHER NATURE
WAS SURELY INSPIRED
WHEN SHE CREATED
THIS WORK OF ART.
[laughing and speaking
foreign language]
WHILE SOME CRYSTALS ARE BEST
LEFT IN THEIR NATURAL FORM,
MANY ARE CUT
INTO FACETED GEMSTONES.
THE PROCESS OF TURNING GEM ROUGH
INTO FINE JEWELRY
IS A LENGTHY ONE,
ONE THAT REQUIRES GREAT SKILL
AND EXPERTISE.
AND BRAZIL IS HOME TO SOME OF
THE MASTERS OF THE TRADE.
HE'S SAWING THE PIECE
TO GET IT CLOSE TO THE FORM
THAT HE WANTS.
BY DOING A SERIES OF PASSES
ON THE CIRCULAR SAW,
THE ROUGH STONE
SLOWLY TAKES SHAPE,
REVEALING ITS CLARITY
AND GEMMINESS.
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
JUST ON THESE LITTLE MACHINES.
THAT'S AMAZING.
- [speaks foreign language]
[laughter]
- HE SPENT ALL THE MONEY.
- HE SPENT--
[laughs]
- NOW IT'S READY
TO BE FACETED.
[all speaking foreign language]
- HE DOES REAL HIGH-QUALITY
CUTTING.
- OH, OKAY.
- AND SO CERTAIN THINGS I
DON'T LIKE OTHER PEOPLE TO CUT.
- ONE OF THE LOST ARTS
IN JEWELRY MAKING
IS THE METICULOUS PROCESS
OF JAMB PEG CUTTING,
OR HAND FACETING.
- THESE GUYS DON'T USE, UH,
THESE MACHINES.
THESE--WITH THE ANGLES
AND DEGREES--
AND, UH--THEY JUST USE A STICK.
THEIR INTELLIGENCE
IS IN THEIR HANDS.
- THE STONE IS AFFIXED
TO A WOODEN PEG
WITH HOT WAX.
THEN THE HOLES ON A BOARD
ARE USED AS A GUIDE
AS HE ADDS THE FACETS.
JAMB PEG CUTTING CAN GIVE
A STONE AN EVEN BRIGHTER SHINE
THAN THE MODERN COMPUTER METHOD.
BUT IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE,
AS CRAFTSMEN ARE BECOMING HARDER
TO FIND.
- THIS IS OUR LOCAL JEWELER HERE
IN GOVERNADOR VALADARES.
HE MAKES ALL THE FINE JEWELRY
HERE IN TOWN.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WORK WITH HIM
'CAUSE HE DOES VERY NICE WORK.
- WHEN PEOPLE BRINGS YOU
A STONE,
THE STONE TELLS YOU SOMETHING.
AND THEN OUT OF
THE SHAPE OF THE STONE
AND THE FACETED ON THE STONE,
SO I CAN MAKE THE JEWELRY
OUT OF THAT.
- THIS IS HOW MOST PEOPLE
KNOW GEMS:
FACETED AND SET
IN SILVER OR GOLD.
BUT THEIR JOURNEY TO THE MARKET
BEGINS AT THE MINE,
WHERE THESE ANCIENT MINERALS
CAKED IN DIRT
PATIENTLY AWAIT A DISCOVERY.
- [speaking foreign language]
- [speaking foreign language]
- DILINO JUST UNCOVERED
A NEW POCKET OF AQUAMARINE.
BUT LIKE ALL GOOD TREASURES,
THERE ARE SOME RISKS.
SO WHAT DO YOU HAVE THERE?
WHOA.
- YES, SOMETHING YOU MUST
TAKE CARE
WHEN YOU ARE IN THE MINES.
WE HAVE SOME SCORPIONS
EVERYWHERE, SO...
- SCORPIONS EVERYWHERE.
- YES.
YOU MUST BE CAREFUL
WHEN YOU TAKE SOME STONES.
WHEN YOU WALK,
YOU MUST WATCH FOR SNAKES
BEFORE YOU ENTER.
- OH, YOU HAVE SNAKES TOO.
- YES.
- OKAY.
[laughs]
ANYTHING ELSE?
DRAGONS?
ITATIAIA ALSO PRODUCES
OTHER MINERALS.
HINTS OF THESE BEAUTIES ARE
ALL ALONG THE PATH TO THE MINE.
MICA EVERYWHERE.
[laughs]
OKAY.
THIS IS A CLUSTER OF MICA HERE.
NOW, IT HASN'T BEEN CLEANED YET.
IT'S GONNA BE REALLY BEAUTIFUL
WHEN IT'S CLEAN.
BUT THIS HAS JUST COME OUT
OF THE MINE,
AND IT'S GOT A LITTLE BIT
OF CLEAVELANDITE ON IT.
THE WHITE IS THE CLEAVELANDITE.
SO, DILINO, HOW FAR DOES THIS GO
INTO THE MINE?
HOW FAR DOES THE TUNNEL GO IN?
- IF YOU GO STRAIGHT,
IT'S AROUND 200 METERS.
- 200 METERS, WOW.
- YES.
- I'LL LET YOU GO FIRST.
- YES.
- [laughs]
JUST IN CASE THERE'S ANY SNAKES.
I NOTICED YOU HAVE A LOT OF WOOD
IN HERE.
- WHEN YOU START
TO OPEN THE TUNNEL,
THE--THEY FALL.
AND YOU HAVE TO PUT ANOTHER ONE
AND GO VERY SLOW.
- DO YOU HAVE PEOPLE HURT
WHEN IT FALLS?
- NO.
FOR MANY YEARS, MY FATHER WORKED
WITH MINES--SINCE 1960.
HE NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT
INSIDE THE MINES.
- WOW.
THAT'S GREAT.
THAT'S A GREAT RECORD.
- WHEN YOU GO WALKING
THROUGH HERE,
YOU WILL SEE HOW THE ROCKS
ARE CHANGING.
YOU WILL SEE IN THIS PLACE,
THEY BEGIN TO BE MORE HARD.
- THEY'RE MORE SOLID HERE.
- YES, MORE SOLID.
YOU DON'T NEED TO USE THE WOOD.
- OH, OKAY.
- BUT THIS IS--THIS IS STILL NOT
THE PEGMATITE.
- OKAY.
- WE WILL WALK A LOT INSIDE
OF THIS
AND YOU WILL SEE THIS CHANGING
BEFORE WE GET TO THE PEGMATITE.
- OH, OKAY.
- THE PLACE WHERE WE PRODUCE THE
GEMSTONES, THE PRECIOUS STONES.
- LOOK AT ALL OF
THE CRYSTALLIZATION IN HERE.
- YEAH.
- YEAH.
- THIS IS THE KIND OF LINE
WE ARE FOLLOWING,
THE MICA.
- RIGHT.
- THIS KIND OF MICA,
IT'S SIGN OF--
WE HAVE--WE CAN HAVE
SOME PRODUCTION HERE.
- SO THIS RIGHT HERE--
THIS REALLY SOFT MICA--
CRUMBLING MICA...
- YES.
- IS WHERE YOU GET GOOD
PRODUCTION OUT OF.
- YOU DIG THE DIRT
AND GO TO THAT PLACE
TO CLEAN.
- TO CLEAN, YEAH.
AND YOU PUT IT THROUGH A SCREEN.
THE SCREEN SIFTS OUT
SMALL PIECES OF AQUAMARINE,
WHICH CAN ADD UP QUICKLY
AND ARE USED FOR JEWELRY.
- LOOK--
- WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?
THIS IS WHERE YOU JUST FOUND IT,
HUH?
- YES, THAT'S WHAT I WANT
TO SHOW YOU.
- WOW.
LOOK AT THAT.
THIS HERE IS AQUAMARINE--
BIG CRYSTALS OF AQUAMARINE
AND BIG QUARTZ CRYSTALS,
ALONG WITH THE MICA
AND THE CLEAVELANDITE.
OH, AND LOOK UP IN THERE.
- A FEW DAYS AGO?
- YOU HAVE TWO MORE POCKETS.
- TWO MORE.
- OH, WOW.
THAT MEANS
THERE'S A BIG CONCENTRATION
OF MINERALIZATION HERE.
BUT NOT ONLY THAT,
THEY HEAR HOLLOW SOUNDS
BEHIND HERE
WHEN THEY BLAST
AND WHEN THEY'RE PICKING.
THAT SOUND MEANS
THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE
THE VEIN WILL OPEN UP INTO
ANOTHER POCKET OF AQUAMARINE,
WHICH COULD BE
AN INCREDIBLE FIND.
LOOK AT THAT.
OH, THERE'S A BIG AQUA.
COOL.
LOOK, YOU CAN SEE THE CLARITY
OF THAT.
THERE'S PLACES IN IT THAT ARE
CLEAR ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
WOW, MORE AQUAS.
THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY DAY.
[laughs]
HE COULD FEEL
A BIG CRYSTAL BACK THERE,
AND HE'S UNCOVERING IT NOW.
THEY MUST WORK DELICATELY
IN THE POCKET.
ANY SMALL CHIP DECREASES
THE VALUE OF A STONE
UP TO 90%.
WOW.
- [laughs]
YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE GONNA FIND.
- YOU NEVER KNOW.
- ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT
BEING A MINERAL EXPLORER
IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THESE
STONES AS THEY'RE UNCOVERED.
OF COURSE, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE
FIRST PICK OF THE LOT,
BUT TO BE PART
OF A THRILLING DISCOVERY
IS A REAL TREASURE.
AND ANOTHER ADDED BONUS
IS THE GREAT FRIENDS
YOU MAKE ALONG THE WAY.
A MEMBER OF THE BERYL FAMILY,
THIS BLUE-GREEN BEAUTY WAS
THOUGHT TO PROTECT SAILORS
ON THEIR VOYAGES.
AND NOW IT'S A MUST-HAVE MINERAL
FOR MANY SERIOUS COLLECTORS.
WELCOME TO TEOFILO OTONI,
KNOWN AS THE GEMSTONE CAPITAL
OF THE WORLD.
TEOFILO IS THE MUST GO-TO PLACE
FOR GEM ROUGH
AND FACETED STONES.
THIS SMALL TOURIST TOWN ALSO
HAS THE USUAL SWEET ATTRACTIONS,
LIKE SUCO DE CANA,■
OR SUGAR CANE JUICE.
- IT'S REALLY GOOD.
- IS IT?
YEAH?
- IT'S REALLY GOOD.
I THINK THEY PUT SOME LEMON IN.
- MANY OF THE WORLD'S GEMSTONES
COME FROM BRAZIL.
THIS INCLUDES TOURMALINE, TOPAZ,
AMETHYST, CITRINE,
AQUAMARINE, AND MANY MORE.
JOHN KNOWS A LOT OF GUYS
AROUND HERE.
HE'S BEEN DOING THIS
FOR MANY YEARS.
EVERYTHING THEY'RE SELLING HERE
IS DOLLARS--
DOLLARS BY THE CARAT.
THIS IS $250 A CARAT.
THIS IS AQUAMARINE,
AND IT'S $120 A CARAT.
VERY PRETTY.
- $112.
- [speaking foreign language]
- FOR THIS STONE,
HE'S ASKING $350 A CARAT.
JOHN OFFERED HIM $200.
- YEAH.
- WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THIS?
- OKAY, IT'S A GREEN STONE.
IT HAS A SLIGHT BLUE TO IT.
IT'S WHAT WE CALL
"AN OPEN COLOR."
IT'S BRIGHT.
A LOT OF TOURMALINE HAS
A TENDENCY TO BE TOO DARK.
WHEN IT'S TOO DARK,
YOU DON'T GET THAT BRILLIANCE
OUT OF THE STONE.
UH, I WOULD ACTUALLY TAKE THE
STONE AND RECUT IT A LITTLE BIT.
I'LL LOSE SOME WEIGHT.
IT'LL MAKE MY COST
A LITTLE BIT HIGHER PER CARAT.
BUT I'LL GET A LOT MORE
BRILLIANCE OUT OF THE STONE.
- MY CLIENTS
MOSTLY COLLECT SPECIMENS.
BUT IT'S GOOD BUSINESS
TO HAVE SOME GEMSTONES ON HAND.
WE'RE GONNA BE MOBBED
PRETTY SOON.
[laughs]
JOHN AND I WERE STARTING
TO ATTRACT TOO MUCH ATTENTION.
IF YOU REALLY WANT
TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS,
YOU NEED A LITTLE MORE PRIVACY.
PRIVACY ALSO ALLOWS YOU TIME
TO REALLY INSPECT THE STONES
TO MAKE SURE
YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANY
THAT HAVE BEEN COLOR TREATED.
THESE ALL APPEAR
TO BE NATURAL.
NEGOTIATING IN TEOFILO OTONI
CAN BE TOUGH AT TIMES.
THESE GUYS HAVE HAD LOTS
OF EXPERIENCE.
SO IN ORDER TO GET
THE BEST DEALS,
YOU SOMETIMES JUST HAVE
TO WALK AWAY.
IF THEY REALLY WANT TO SELL,
THEY'LL BE BACK.
- LAST-MINUTE GEM BUYING,
WE MADE THE OFFERS
ALL DAY LONG
AND FOUGHT OVER THE PRICE
AND EVERYTHING.
AND AT THE LAST MINUTE,
WHEN WE'RE LEAVING
THE PARKING LOT,
WE ARE ABLE TO COME
TO A DEAL.
[laughs]
- IT'S CRAZY, ISN'T IT?
[laughs]
BRAZIL PRODUCES
SOME WORLD-CLASS GEMSTONES.
BUT YOU CAN'T BEAT
MOTHER NATURE.
AND MANY OF BRAZIL'S
MOST IMPRESSIVE MINERALS
ARE THE NATURAL SPECIMENS.
THE BANDEIRANTES MAY HAVE
OVERLOOKED THE VALUE
OF TOURMALINES,
BUT THESE SEMIPRECIOUS STONES
HAVE BECOME HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER
IN THE MINERAL WORLD.
AND THE PEDERNEIRA MINE
IS FAMOUS FOR ITS TOP-QUALITY
PIECES.
IT'S A LARGE OPERATION.
WITH ATTEMPTED ROBBERIES
AND EVEN SHOOTOUTS,
SECURITY IS A BIG CONCERN.
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
WORTH OF MINERALS
HAVE COME OUT OF THIS MINE,
AND WHEN THEY HIT A POCKET,
WORD TRAVELS FAST.
SO MAKING SURE THAT THE MINE
AND THE MINERS ARE SAFE
IS ITS TOP PRIORITY.
DO YOU GROW A LOT OF YOUR OWN
VEGETABLES HERE?
- NEARLY ALL.
- BEING THIS FAR REMOVED, THE
MINE IS LARGELY SELF-SUFFICIENT
WITH A VEGETABLE GARDEN
AND EVEN CHICKENS.
- FREE-RANGE ORGANIC, EXACTLY.
- [laughs]
THERE'S ALSO A COOKING STAFF
ONSITE
THAT DISHES OUT HOT MEALS
MADE FROM FRESH INGREDIENTS,
HELPING MAKE THE MINE FEEL
JUST A LITTLE MORE LIKE HOME.
DANIEL IS HELPING
TO REVOLUTIONIZE
THE GEM MINING BUSINESS
USING TECHNOLOGY THAT'S NORMALLY
RESERVED FOR INDUSTRIAL MINES.
- IT'S CALLED THE GALLERY.
THIS IS THE ACTUAL BODY
AND THE WAY IT RUNS,
THIS WAY.
SO THERE'S LARGE-GRAIN SIZED
PEGMATITE THERE,
WHICH MEANS TO US,
THAT'S THE CENTER--
THAT'S THE NUCLEUS
OF WHERE EVERYTHING'S STARTING.
- YOU THINK YOU'RE GONNA FIND
A BONANZA OUT ON THIS SIDE.
- THAT'S--
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING FOR.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING FOR.
- I HOPE YOU DO TOO.
- WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TO
TRY AND FIGURE THAT OUT, SO...
- YEAH.
BY DOING ALL THIS CORE DRILLING,
THIS ENABLES YOU TO MAKE
AN UNDERGROUND MAP
OF WHERE THE MINERALS ARE
TO HELP YOU KNOW WHERE TO DIG.
'CAUSE DIGGING IS REALLY
EXPENSIVE, ISN'T IT?
- IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE, YES.
- [laughs]
- IT EATS MONEY.
THE MINE NEVER--NEVER SLEEPS.
- CORE SAMPLING IS EXPENSIVE.
BUT IT'S HELPED FIND
NEW PRODUCTION IN A MINE
THAT WAS ONCE THOUGHT TO BE
NEARLY DEPLETED.
USING A SPECIAL DRILL
WITH A HOLLOW STEEL TUBE
TO REMOVE SPECIFIC SECTIONS
OF ROCK,
DANIEL AND HIS CREW HOPE TO FIND
PEGMATITE IN THE SAMPLES,
WHICH WILL LEAD YOU
TO WHERE THE TOURMALINES
ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR.
- WE HAVE IT DESIGNED
SO THAT IT'S ON A CURVE.
- YEAH.
- SO IF YOU'RE HERE,
YOU'RE TRYING TO SHOOT IN
OR SOMETHING,
YOU'RE NOT--THEY CAN STAY
BEHIND THE CURVE.
- OH, RIGHT.
- SO FROM ONE DOOR
TO THE OTHER DOOR,
THERE'S A SAFE HAVEN.
- SO THEY CAN'T SIT HERE
AND SHOOT YOUR GUARDS.
- NO.
- OKAY.
[laughs]
THAT'S GREAT.
- THAT WOULD BE BAD.
- THE MINE ITSELF
IS CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT
IN AN EFFORT
TO KEEP THE WORKERS SAFE
AND TO BEST UTILIZE
THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES.
- THESE TUNNELS ARE NOW FILLED
WITH WATER.
THIS IS SORT OF
OUR WATER RESERVE.
SO THAT WATER
IS VERY VALUABLE TO US.
WE USE THAT FOR COOLING
THE DRILL BIT HEAD
WHILE WE'RE DRILLING OVER THERE
OR WHEN THEY'RE DRILLING
TO ACTUALLY DRILL FOR MINING.
[speaking foreign language]
- MORNING.
- [laughs] GOOD MORNING.
USING THEIR MACHINERY,
THESE GEOLOGISTS ARE CREATING
MODERN-DAY TREASURE MAPS,
TAKING THE GUESSWORK
OUT OF WHERE TO DIG,
SAVING BOTH TIME AND MONEY.
OH, THAT'S A NEAT MACHINE.
- SO YOU CAN GO ABOUT 100 METERS
WITH THIS MACHINE.
AND THAT'S A STABILIZING RING.
THIS HAS THE CUTTING HEAD
OVER THERE.
AND THIS HAS THE INNER PIPE
RIGHT THERE.
- OH, OKAY.
- THAT ALLOWS THEM TO PULL OUT,
AND THAT HAS THE--
THE CORE SAMPLE INSIDE.
- HOW MUCH OF A CORE SAMPLE
DO THEY GET AT ONE TIME?
- SO THIS GIVES YOU
1 1/2 METERS.
- 1 1/2 METERS OF CORE.
- 1 1/2 METERS OF CORE.
[machines whirring]
SEE HOW FAST IT'S MOVING?
- YEAH.
THE DRILL
IS REALLY MOVING FAST NOW.
THAT MEANS
THAT THEY'RE INTO A SCHIST
OR A VERY SOFT PART OF THE ROCK.
- YOU CAN SEE
THEY'RE CUTTING PEGMATITE
'CAUSE THE WATER
IT GIVES YOU BACK IS WHITE.
- THEY'RE TAKING IT OUT
OF THE DRILL.
YEAH, LOOK AT THAT.
- YEAH, SO THAT'S THE--
THOSE ARE THE CORE SAMPLES.
- SO RIGHT HERE, THIS IS--THIS
IS COMING INTO THE MAIN GALLERY.
- THEY'VE REALLY DONE
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF DIGGING HERE, HAVEN'T THEY?
- OH, MY GOD.
- [laughs] YEAH.
THIS IS ALL REALLY HARD ROCK
TOO.
- YEAH.
- HOW DEEP DOES THE MINE GO?
- WELL, THE ACTUAL LENGTH OF
THE TUNNEL AT THE LONGEST POINT
IS ABOUT 800 METERS.
- HOW FAR DOES IT GO UNDERGROUND
ACTUALLY?
- WE'RE PROBABLY 200 METERS
UNDERGROUND.
THIS IS WHERE THE--
- THE BEAUTIFUL TOURMALINE
THAT'S IN THE PEROT MUSEUM
CAME FROM.
- THE BEAUTIFUL PIECE
THAT WAS IN THE PEROT
CAME FROM OVER HERE.
YOU CAN SEE HERE, YOU GOT
A LITTLE PIECE OF QUARTZ
FLOATING AROUND.
BUT ALL OF THIS, YOU CAN SEE
THESE GIANT FEET
ARE THE BASE OF THE TOURMALINE.
- HUGE TOURMALINE.
- AND HERE YOU CAN SEE--
RIGHT HERE--
HERE'S A POCKET.
THERE'S EVEN LITTLE BITS
OF TOURMALINE STILL IN THERE.
- OH, YEAH, THERE IS TOURMALINES
IN THERE.
- TOURMALINE HERE.
HERE'S QUARTZ.
- COLORED TOURMALINE, YEAH.
- HERE'S CLEAVELANDITE,
OR ALBITE, FINELY CRYSTALLIZED.
- RIGHT.
- BIG LEPIDOLITE IN HERE.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE
THE TYPE OF ENERGY IT TAKES
TO BRING THEM THE PIECES
THAT WE PULL OUT OF THE EARTH.
- IT MUST BE A TREMENDOUS
FEELING OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.
- IT'S NOT JUST ME.
I MEAN, I'M SOMEONE THAT--
THAT ORGANIZES AND HELPS,
BUT IT GOES TO EVERY SINGLE
PERSON HERE,
FROM THE COOK TO THE GUY
WHO'S HELPING LOAD THE PIPE
TO THE ELECTRICIAN THAT COMES IN
AND RUNS THE CABLE
AND CHECKS THE LIGHTS TO--
IT'S--IT'S--
EVERYBODY PLAYS A ROLE.
- AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE
A GREAT TEAM HERE.
- WE HAVE A GOOD TEAM.
- YEAH.
- WE HAVE A GOOD TEAM.
IT'S A GREAT TEAM.
- WE'VE GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS
AND DEPTHS
TO EXPLORE BRAZIL'S
RICH MINERALS.
BUT TO SEE THE BEST OF THE BEST,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR.
- IT IS A SPECTACULAR
COLLECTION.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 34 CASES
OF MINERALS,
ABOUT 150 MINERALS PLUS.
AND ESSENTIALLY ALL THE PIECES
ARE FROM PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
FROM PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY.
- I'M ALL ABOUT THE COMPOSITION.
I DON'T EVEN CARE SO MUCH
ABOUT THE SIZE.
I MEAN, I LOVE THAT IT'S BIG.
- RIGHT.
- BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT'S
THE COMPOSITION.
AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE ALL
THESE DIFFERENT SPECIES TOGETHER
IN A WAY THAT COMPLEMENTS--
SO YOU HAVE CONTRASTING COLORS,
CONTRASTING TEXTURES,
AND IT JUST--I MEAN,
IT SOUNDS MELODRAMATIC,
BUT I THINK OF THIS AS SHOWING
HOW THESE CRYSTALS
SORT OF LEAP OUT OF THE EARTH
AS THEY'RE FORMING.
AND THEN TO END UP
WITH THIS PIECE OF ART
THAT JUST APPEARS
OUT OF NOTHING,
OUT OF FLUIDS,
TO ME, IS INCREDIBLE.
AND SO I ALWAYS--
I ALWAYS WANTED THIS PIECE.
THIS HAS A COMPOSITION TO IT
THAT I LOVE.
- IT IS.
IT'S JUST REALLY SPECIAL.
LIKE TREASURE HUNTERS,
MINERAL COLLECTORS LOVE TO SHARE
THE BEAUTY OF THEIR FINDS.
BUT MINERALS ARE MORE
THAN JUST TREASURES.
THEY'RE A TESTAMENT
TO THE HISTORY OF THE EARTH
AND ITS PEOPLES.
THESE WONDERS OF NATURE
ARE PHYSICAL TOKENS
THAT CAN BE ENJOYED
FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
IF YOU WANT TO SEE 
MORE EPISODES
OR CHECK OUT OUR 
MINERAL COLLECTION,
CLICK THE LINK 
IN THE DESCRIPTION.
AND OF COURSE,
LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE
TO OUR CHANNEL.
THANKS FOR WATCHING
AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME
ON MINERAL EXPLORERS!
