Gemologicalpropertiesoffacetedlighttodarkgreen
emeralds weighing up to 10 ct that were reportedly
fromthisareawerebrieflydescribedbyMilisenda(2007).
The present article characterizes the gemological
properties of the emeralds from Fazenda Bonfim in
detail and introduces chemical data. Information on
the geology and mining was gathered by authors JCZ
andJKoverthecourseofaseven-dayvisittotheFazenda
Bonfim mining area in July 2009, and updated infor-
mation on the situation atthe deposit was supplied by
Mineração Vale Verde Ltd.
LOCATION AND ACCESS
TheFazendaBonfimregionlieswestofNatal,the state
capital of Rio Grande do Norte, between the munici-
palities of São Tomé, Caiçara do Rio do Vento, and
Lajes. The emerald depositis located nearthe Bonfim
gold-tungstenmine(figure2),atcoordinates05°50.45¢S,
036°07.10¢W and an elevation of ~420 m. From Natal,
the workings can be reached by driving about 95 km
west to Caiçara do Rio do Vento, then another 6 km
west on a paved road. A dirttrack then proceeds about
18 km south to the mining area.