Hematite from Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil

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A cluster of semi-lustrous metallic hematite crystals. Some damage present, still quite nice. Ouro Preto, located in the Minas Gerais state of Brazil, is famous for its rich gold and topaz deposits formed within the Precambrian Espinhaco Supergroup and the Quadrilatero Ferrifero. Geologically, the region features quartzites, schists, and iron formations where hydrothermal activity concentrated gold within quartz veins and weathering processes created famous local occurrences of imperial topaz. Historically, the city was founded at the end of the 17th century as Villa Rica, sparking a massive Brazilian gold rush that made it a center of colonial wealth, baroque architecture, and early mining engineering before transitioning into a celebrated historical monument and tourist destination.