Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
17° 57' 18'' South , 46° 51' 9'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Mine (Active) - last checked 2024
Mindat Locality ID:
106407
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:106407:3
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Vazante zinc mine
Group of several mines, closely located and jointly operated by Votorantim Metais. From S to N:
- Lumiadeira (underground and open pit)
- Morro da Usina (underground)
- Mineira (open pit)
- Sucuri (underground and open pit).
Zinc was discovered in 1933 near the village of Vazante, located in the Brasília Fold Belt. At first, mining was by independent miners using hand tools, referred to in this area as artisanal miners (called garimpeiros). In 1969 a larger open-pit operation by Votorantim Metais began producing ore that could be processed for its zinc content. Underground mining began in 1983. Since then, the Vazante mine has become the largest producer of zinc in Brazil, with reserves estimated at 26.6 million tonnes of ore having up to 19.5% Zn content.
The primary zinc ore is the silicate willemite which occurs in pods and veinlets in a brecciated shear zone associated with the Vazante fault zone. The fault strikes N50E and dips at 60-70 degrees NW, cutting dolomitic metasediments of the Serra do Poço Verde Formation of late Mesoproterozoic age (estimated at 1.1 to 1.0 Ga). The willemite ore body extends along the fault zone for nearly 5 km, and ranges from the surface to a depth of somewhat greater than 400 meters. The fault is interpreted as a syn-sedimentary growth fault formed along the margins of a marine basin and reactivated multiple times during the Brasiliano Orogeny (ca. 630-500 Ma). Formation of the zinc silicate deposit is not well understood, but presence of willemite and hematite required oxidizing conditions. Lead isotope data suggest an upper crustal source for the lead and zinc. Hot, acidic and sulfur-deficient fluids rich in the metal flowed upward and mixed with oxygen-depleted, cool, meteoric waters under more alkaline conditions where willemite precipitated.
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Commodity List This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded from this region. Mineral List Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities
20 valid minerals.
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Entries shown in red are rocks recorded for this region.
Detailed Mineral List: ⓘ Anglesite Formula: PbSO4
References: Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Ankerite Formula: Ca(Fe2+ ,Mg)(CO3 )2
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). ⓘ 'Apatite' Formula: Ca5 (PO4 )3 (Cl/F/OH)
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Baryte Formula: BaSO4
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Chalcocite Formula: Cu2 S
References: Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ 'Chlorite Group' References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Covellite Formula: CuS
References: Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Dolomite Formula: CaMg(CO3 )2
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Franklinite Formula: Zn2+ Fe3+ 2 O4
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Gahnite Formula: ZnAl2 O4
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS
References: Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Hematite Formula: Fe2 O3
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Hemimorphite Formula: Zn4 Si2 O7 (OH)2 · H2 O
ⓘ Magnetite Formula: Fe2+ Fe3+ 2 O4
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Siderite Formula: FeCO3
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Smithsonite Formula: ZnCO3
References: Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Stromeyerite Formula: AgCuS
References: Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Talc Formula: Mg3 Si4 O10 (OH)2
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). ⓘ Willemite Formula: Zn2 SiO4
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 ⓘ Zincite Formula: ZnO
References: Slezak, P. R., 2012, Geology, mneralogy, and geochenmistry of the Vazante Noorthern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full). Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification List of minerals for each chemical element Localities in this Region Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please
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References Year ⬇ Author Title Publisher Add Occurrence References
Slezak, P. R. (2012), Geology, mineralogy, and geochemistry of the Vazante Northern Extension zinc silicate deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: M.S. thesis, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Olivo, Gema R., Monteiro, Lena V. S., Baia, Fernando, Slezak, Paul, Carvalho, Igor, Fernandes, Neil A., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Neto, Basilio Botura, Alexandra McGladrey, Adalene M. Silva, et al. (2018) The Proterozoic Vazante Hypogene Zinc Silicate District, Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Review of the Ore System Applied to Mineral Exploration. Minerals , 8 (1). doi:10.3390/min8010022 Alvarenga, Carlos J.S., Oliveira, Gustavo D., Vieira, Lucieth C., Santos, Roberto V., Baptista, Marcos C., Dantas, Elton L. (2019) Carbonate chemostratigraphy of the Vazante Group, Brazil: A probable Tonian age. Precambrian Research , 331. 105378 doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2019.105378
Vazante mine, Vazante, Minas Gerais, Brazil