Home » Gemstones: A Comprehensive Guide » Pindobaçu (Bahia): Capital of Emeralds, History and Guide

Pindobaçu, in the north of Bahia, is known as the emerald capital. The municipality, with a population of around 19,000, lies in the Bahian hinterland and is home to part of the Serra da Carnaíba mountain range, where emerald mining began in the 1960s and which remains the town’s main attraction. In this guide, you’ll find out where the town is located, the origin of its name, the history of emerald mining, what mining is like today, how Bahian emeralds are graded, and what else to do whilst you’re there. There’s also an FAQ at the end.

The Sertão region of Bahia is rich in cultural and mineral resources, with several towns linked to the extraction of gemstones and jewellery. Pindobaçu is renowned for its emeralds, and the neighbouring region, with its caves and the Chapada Diamantina, makes for an ideal itinerary.

Pindobaçu at a glance: location and facts

• Demonym: Pindobaçuense;
• Population density: 38.49 inhabitants per km² (2022 Census);
• Immediate region: Senhor do Bonfim;
• Approximate coordinates: 10°44′ S and 40°21′ W.

Origin of the name Pindobaçu

The name derives from the Tupi word pindoba-açu, generally translated as ‘large palm tree’ (the pindoba is a type of palm tree). The spelling ‘Pindobaçu’ was standardised in 1943.

History: from a resting place for muleteers to the emerald capital

• Origin: the village began as a resting place for cattle drivers on the route taken by cattle herds heading for Jacobina, and became known as ‘Arraial do Lamarão’, a name linked to the mud on the streets during the rainy season;
• The 1910s: with the arrival of the railway station, the place came to be known as Pindobassu (around 1917, according to the newspaper *Correio*);
• 4 March 1953: the municipality was established, having been separated from Campo Formoso (State Law No. 542);
• 1963: a farmer found green stones whilst clearing his land, and the find was confirmed to be emeralds. The news attracted prospectors from all over Bahia. Some sources cite 1960 as the start of prospecting, whilst others refer to the 1960s in general;
• The mid-1970s: the heyday of mining, a time when the verb ‘bamburrar’ – meaning to strike it rich in the goldfields – became widely used;
• 1981: the excavation came across layers of quartz, and some of the prospectors went to Campos Verdes (GO), returning later with new techniques;
• 2006: the Cooperativa Mineral da Bahia (CMB) was established to defend workers’ rights.

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Pindobaçu (BA) é conhecida como a capital das esmeraldas

The Serra da Carnaíba and the emeralds of Bahia

The Serra da Carnaíba is a mountain range in the municipalities of Pindobaçu and Campo Formoso, known primarily for its emerald mining. Mining is concentrated in villages such as Marota, Carnaíba de Baixo and the Serra da Carnaíba itself, and alongside emeralds, beryl, talc, aquamarine and molybdenum, amongst other minerals, are also found there.

According to a gemstone retailer (Skyjems), the deposit is metamorphic: the emeralds formed where beryllium-bearing schists come into contact with chromium-rich schists in the Sobradinho-Pindobaçu belt. The stones are usually medium green, sometimes with a bluish or yellowish tinge, and the larger specimens display features such as fluid inclusions and biotite lamellae. Like most emeralds worldwide, they are often treated with oil or resin to conceal fractures, and buyers should be made aware of this.

To gain a better understanding of this gemstone, see the post on the emerald: characteristics, varieties and quality, and on aquamarine, which is a blue beryl.

Mining in Pindobaçu today

The extracted material, known as ‘canga’, is brought to the surface and sorted by hand to separate the crystal-bearing rocks from the worthless material. The number of mines varies depending on the source and the year. A 2024 report in the Correio newspaper cites 81 mines in the region, 46 of which are active, employing around 600 workers, and with 435 tonnes of schist extracted in 2023. The same newspaper reported the discovery of a 225 kg emerald ‘canga’, valued at US$165 million – a figure that is merely an estimate.

Mining has an impact. An article by Cetem (2013), cited on Wikipedia, highlights environmental damage in the mountains, and working in the goldfields is dangerous. For this reason, visitors to the region should not enter mining areas without authorisation.

The emerald trade and how to buy them

According to a retailer, Carnaíba emeralds were widely traded in the 1980s and 1990s in Teófilo Otoni and Belo Horizonte (MG). Campo Formoso, a neighbouring municipality, hosts the Gemstones, Emeralds and Handicrafts Fair, as mentioned in our post about the municipality.

When buying, the colour (hue, saturation and tone), clarity and size determine the price. Unlike other gemstones, emeralds almost always contain inclusions, known as ‘gardens’, and those with few visible inclusions are rarer and more valuable. Ask about any treatments, request a receipt and, for high-value purchases, a laboratory report. See the guide to identifying a precious stone or gemstone.

Visiting Pindobaçu and the surrounding area

The sources I have consulted do not mention any organised tourist attractions in the town, and a visit usually centres on mining, the history of gold panning and the gemstone trade. It is worth combining the trip with nearby itineraries:

• Campo Formoso: a neighbouring municipality, home to caves such as Toca da Boa Vista, the largest cave in the Southern Hemisphere;
• Chapada Diamantina: a comprehensive guide to attractions and itineraries;
• Tourist attractions in Bahia: places of interest in the state to help you plan your itinerary;
• The North-East’s Underground: emeralds, caves and archaeology in the hinterland.

Please check timetables, access details and local conditions before travelling, as information is subject to change.

See also

• Emerald: characteristics, meaning and jewellery
• Identifying a precious stone or gemstone: a comprehensive guide
• Aquamarine: symbolism, characteristics and jewellery
• History and caves of Campo Formoso (BA)
• Chapada Diamantina: a comprehensive guide to attractions and itineraries
• Tourist attractions in Bahia: top attractions
• The Northeast’s Underground: Emeralds and Archaeology
• Ruby: characteristics, meaning and jewellery
• Sapphire: meaning, characteristics and jewellery
• Diamonds: characteristics, significance and classification
• Tourmaline: varieties, properties and characteristics
• Paraíba tourmaline: history, properties and characteristics
• Topaz: gemstone, properties, meaning and characteristics
• Amethyst: meaning, characteristics and jewellery
• Jade: meaning, properties and characteristics
• Malachite: meaning, properties and characteristics

Sources consulted

• IBGE: Pindobaçu (BA), Towns and States
• Correio: From a mud farm to the city of emeralds – how gold mining began in Pindobaçu
• Smargiassi: Pindobaçu (BA), facts and history
• Itatiaia: Carnaíba, a leading centre for emerald mining
• Wikipedia: Serra da Carnaíba
• Skyjems: Carnaíba (retail, used in geology, colour and trade)

Written by Willy Sievert

Editor of Bahia.ws since its founding in 2009. Based in Salvador, he travels frequently across the Northeast and all of Brazil to keep the guides up to date. Learn more about Willy Sievert →

Published on 22/10/2023 · Updated on 14/10/2026

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