Minas da Passagem

Minas da Passagem - a gold mine near Mariana open for tours since 1976	Entrance to the mine, Minas da Passagem	Incline railway that descends to a depth of 120m	Tracks leading into Minas da Passagem
Minas da Passagem was established in 1719	The tracks are 315m long and descend to a depth of 120m	Descent into the earth - Minas da Passagem	Tracks inside a tunnel descending to the lower levels of Minas da Passagem
Minas da Passagem is the largest mine in the region with around 30km of tunnels	The gold mines of Ouro Preto and Mariana produced 700 tons of gold in the 18th C., half of the world's production at that time	Gold was discovered in Minas Gerais around 1695 - Minas da Passegem started operating in 1719	A mid-level gallery tunnel, Minas da Passagem
Dennis riding the trolley down into the mines	In the 18th-19th Centuries, gold was extracted from the early Brazilian mines using armies of slave labor	Minas da Passagem operated from 1719 to 1954, then irregularly through the 1960's and 1970's	Arriving at the bottom of Minas da Passagem - 315 level, measured in track-meters from the mine entrance
The passenger trolly at the bottom of the mine	Mineral deposits - Minas da Passagem, Brazil	At its peak, Minas da Passegem produced 6 ounces of gold for each ton of ore	Pillars left in place to support the gallery roof
Pillars left in place to support the gallery roof	Dennis - Minas da Passagem	It's cool down here...17-20C	The rock layers 120m below the surface of Minas Gerais
Dennis - Minas da Passagem	For your safety do not cross this line	Pillar of rock left standing to support the gallery roof - MInas da Passagem	Pillar of rock left standing to support the gallery roof - MInas da Passagem
Tunnels lead off into the darkness	Minas da Passagem	Minas da Passagem	Mineral deposits, Minas da Passagem
Miners' Chapel - Minas da Passagem	Rubble piled up to support the right side of the gallery	Gold-bearing quartz, Minas da Passagem	Scuba diving is offered 120m below the surface - Minas da Passagem
Underground lake, Minas da Passagem	Underground lake, Minas da Passagem	Dennis - Minas da Passagem	Minas da Passagem is interesting and worth the visit
Mineral deposits - Minas da Passagem	Ready to return to the surface	The engine that pulls the mine's trolley	Old tractor, Minas da Passagem
Gift shop - Minas da Passagem