How The Brazil Diamond Rush Shaped The Nation Of Today
The Brazil diamond trade used to be booming. Nowadays, Brazil diamond mining still goes on, but not like it used to. The Brazil diamond trade provided almost all the diamonds in Europe from 1725 until 1870.
In 1725, diamonds were discovered in Brazil. The exact story is vague and shrouded in mystery, but it mattered little; the Brazil diamond boom had started.
From 1725 until 1870, Brazil was the center of the "diamond rush," providing nearly all the diamonds in Europe. At the time, Portugal had claim to Brazil, and would not allow any other European power to mine there.
In the later part of the 19th century, the Brazil diamond mines dried up. By around 1870, the world had begun looking for its diamonds elsewhere.
The effects of the diamond rush can be felt today. Like the gold rush in California, the diamond rush brought people from all over the world to Brazil. These would become the descendents of modern Brazilians today.
In order to reap maximum profits from the Brazil diamond mines, the Portuguese imported African slaves. They subjected the slaves to the same tortures and inhumanity that slaves in the United States were subject to. These slaves would eventually be the ancestors of the African-Brazilian population of today.
The biggest diamond in the world was found in Brazil. It is called "Star of the South" because of the pinkish glow it gives off. The Star of the South was originally 262 carats, and when last sold it went for around $400,000. It was on display at the London and Paris Exhibitions during the 1860's, and changed hands a few times since. It now belongs to Cartier.
There are still diamond hunters today. The biggest remaining diamond reserves in Brazil are in the northwestern part of the state of Rondonia, in the Roosevelt Reserve. This is a rough, inaccessible area of the Amazon rainforest. Because of the high risk in getting these diamonds, the Brazil diamond trade is no longer as profitable as it once was.
These days, Brazil diamond mining is handled mostly by big mining companies, such as Vaaldiam Resources, which runs the Duas Barras mine. They turn out about 15,000 diamonds a month, which sounds like a lot of diamonds, but doesn't compare to the old diamond rush days.
The Brazil diamond trade is an important part of Brazilian history. Travelers can still go to Brazil today and see sights from the diamond rush days.
Sources
Mapsoftheworld.com, Precious Metals, Star of the South page
http://www.mapsofworld.com/referrals/metals/diamond/star-of-the-south.htmlFrom Brazil Diamond back to Travel Brazil Guide
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