GEOLOGY OF CENTRAL MINAS GERAES, BRAZIL 343 



found the gold which caused this portion of the country to be settled 

 at an early date. Here also are found the diamonds and other 

 precious stones for which Brazil has long been famous. And it is 

 along the flanks of this strip of the Serra do Espinhago that there 



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^lOOKllOMETER 



Fig. I . — Map showing the location of the iron-ore district of Minas Geraes, Brazil 



are being discovered today the still more remarkable deposits of 

 high-grade iron ore which seem destined to develop a great industry 

 in the future. 



GENERAL GEOLOGY 

 GENERAL DISTRIBUTION, SUCCESSION, AND STRUCTURE OF FORMATIONS 



The coastal region of Brazil throughout the states of Rio de 

 Janeiro and Espirito Santo is composed, except for small areas 

 of Mesozoic or Tertiary sediments occurring locally along the 

 ocean border, of a complex of ancient crystalline rocks of which 

 granite, gneiss, and crystalline schist are the prevailing types, and 

 in which diorite, gabbro, and other more basic rocks occur as 



