Brazil in the year 2000 at International Geological Congress

In 2000, I traveled to Rio de Janeiro to attend the International Geological Congress and took my daughter Leanna and nephew Ryan along. We had a great time in the beautiful country of Brazil and took a couple of field trips out into the mining districts near Rio.

Beautiful Rio on a cloudy day.

It was a bit windy the day we went up to see the view over Rio.

Garnet-cordierite gneiss outcrops near Rio.

Folded gneiss in outcrops near Rio.

Another view of Rio.

Alexandrite gem mine.

The day's haul of alexandrite from the mine.

Amazonite and tourmaline in pegmatite mine.

Geologists at the amazonite pegmatite mine.

Fractured aquamarine crystals up to 2 feet in diameter and several feet long in a pegmatite mine.

Our field trip bus stuck in a ditch in the road.

Leanna and Ryan waiting to descend into the emerald mine.

Our bus arrives at one of the emerald diggings where locals hock their gems to the visiting tourists.

Topaz crystals (orange) on conveyor belt sorted out of the gravels at the mine.

The scenic city of Ouro Preto, Brazil, an old mining town that now is a tourist destination and university town.

Another view of Ouro Preto.

Cobblestone streets in Ouro Preto.

Church in Ouro Preto.

Leanna at the soapstone market in Ouro Preto.