Discover Brazil’s Hidden Treasures
Alumni Travel Program sets its sights on Minas Gerais

By Larne Boyles

GIA graduates are likely to deal with gemstones on a daily basis. But how many of you have actually had the opportunity to see them at the site where they’re unearthed?

The Alumni Association is bringing this rare opportunity to graduates by inviting you to join the Alumni Travel Program trip to Minas Gerais, Brazil, Aug. 14-26.

From visits to topaz and emerald mines, to a gem show bustling with activity, travelers will have the chance to see gems at their source and  follow their path that leads to the counter.

“Minas Gerais is known for its bounty of beautiful stones,” said Rose McKenna, Alumni manager. “What better way to complement what you learned about gems than travel to the source and see where they come from?”

Scheduled stops include visits to the Belmont and Piteiras emerald mines and the Diamantina diamond mine. Participants will trek through the colonial city of Ouro Preto – famed for its gold-decorated churches and historical buildings – on the way to Imperial topaz and gold mines. Visits to gem factories and the FIPP 2004 International Gemstone Fair in Teófilo Otoni are also planned.

The trip to Brazil is the second tour organized by the Alumni Association in recent years. Last year’s 10-day excursion through Thailand “helped fulfill almost every gemologist’s dream,” said Charles I. Carmona, G.G., an appraiser who served as the tour group leader.

“We visited gem mines, cutting factories, stone dealers and jewelry manufacturers – just about every aspect of the business from the (under)ground up. Along the way, we saw many beautiful sights, experienced some wonderful adventures and, most importantly, held some incredible specimens. We were not disappointed,” he said.

The Association put together the Alumni Travel Committee to plan future excursions as a result of the positive response from last year’s trip. The committee is comprised of GIA staff and alumni to brainstorm the best locations that enhance graduates’ GIA education. Carl Chilstrom, GIA Education Product manager, was chosen to lead this year’s tour through Minas Gerais.

“Brazil is one of the seven largest producers of gemstones in the world,” McKenna said.

“With its gem-rich history and lively marketplace, this trip is an excellent opportunity for our graduates to continue their education in the gem world.”

The trip was organized with the help of Raymundo Vianna and Adair Marques, representatives of the Federacy of the Industries of the State of Minas Gerais, who regularly plan trips for journalists through the Brazilian Institute of Gems and Precious Metals (IBGM). Their knowledge and expertise of Minas Gerais will make this an amazing trip, McKenna says.

“We’re really going to get an insider’s view into the world of gem mining in Brazil that we probably wouldn’t have gotten had we ventured on our own,” she said.