Three quarries near Mariana, Minas Gerais – about an hour’s drive from Belo Horizonte.
Region
The state of Minas Gerais lies in the south-east of Brazil and is roughly the size of France. With 20 million inhabitants, Minas Gerais is Brazil’s most populous state after São Paulo. Its capital is Belo Horizonte. Minas Gerais is known for its friendly and warm-hearted people. With about 2.7 million tonnes of green coffee a year, Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer, and most of it comes from Minas Gerais. So nothing beats a cafezinho as a welcome.
The name Minas Gerais (“general mines”) reflects the state’s mining tradition. It is home to numerous mines and extraction sites for a wide range of metal ores, industrial minerals and gemstones. The history of the state is closely linked to historical deposits of gold and diamonds, which after the discovery of Brazil attracted countless adventurers, gold diggers and fortune hunters, especially from Europe. To this day, Belo Horizonte is one of the world’s most important cities for raw materials.
Our quarries are located about an hour’s drive from Belo Horizonte, surrounded by large pastures, pristine forests and picturesque colonial old towns. The roads are mostly well developed, but near the quarries iron-rich red dirt tracks predominate. During the rainy season, from December to March, these dirt roads can turn into deep mud. To ensure steady production in the quarries, the dirt roads are maintained regularly.
We attach particular importance to preserving and restoring natural resources. For this purpose, native plants and trees are continuously cultivated and planted in the areas around the quarries.