Mina Vila Rica


Useful Information

Location: R. Santa Rita, 149, Ouro Preto MG.
(-20.386655, -43.493355)
Open: closed.
[2022]
Fee: closed.
[2022]
Classification: MineGold Mine
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:  
Guided tours:  
Photography:  
Accessibility:  
Bibliography:  
Address: Mina Vila Rica, R. Santa Rita, 149, Ouro Preto MG.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Geology

Ouro Prêto sits right on an outcrop of banded iron formation. This formation is a sedimentary rock with many layers of iron ore, often altered to iron oxide especially ochre. There are also copper deposits, which sometimes are transformed to malachite. The dark rocks were the reason for its name Ouro Prêto which means black gold as a reference to the dark colour of the local gold, which contains a lot of iron oxides. However, the gold is mostly bound to gold bearing quartz veins, not to the iron.

Description

Mina Vila Rica is one of numerous show mines in the town, this seems to be a rather new addition. It is only three houses from the next show mine, which seems a rather poor business decision to us, but we actually have no idea who was first. All those small show mines are not listed on the official website of the city, so we guess they are private venues popping up and there is the danger they will equally fast close when the revenue is not as expected.