The Sincura mountain range is in the

Bahia Bahia () is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Mina ...

state of eastern

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

. It follows the

Paraguaçu Paraguaçu is a municipality in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. The population is 21,605 (2020 est.) in an area of 424 km². The elevation of the municipal seat is 825 m. It became a municipality in 1911. Paraguaçu is part of ...

river which originates in the

Chapada Diamantina Chapada Diamantina (; Portuguese language, Portuguese for the "Diamond Plateau") is a region of Bahia state, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast of Brazil. This mountain range is known as “Serra do Espinhaço,” in Minas Gerais state, ...

highlands of central Bahia.

The Diamond Mines

The area is famous for its mines known collectively as the

Diamond Mines There are a limited number of commercially available diamond mines currently operating in the world, with the 50 largest mines accounting for approximately 90% of global supply. Diamonds are also mined alluvially over disperse areas, where diam ...

of Sincura. The rivers course followed a rich

vein Veins () are blood vessels in the circulatory system of humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are those of the pulmonary and feta ...

diamonds Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Diamond is tasteless, odourless, strong, brittle solid, colourless in pure form, a poor conductor of electricity, and insol ...

which led to an influx of prospectors. These mines have taken their name from the mountain range to be known cumulatively as the mines of Sincura. "The first individuals who established themselves at the mine of Sincura were mostly convicts and murderers; and their presence was marked by burnings and assassination. The difficulty of procuring sustenance in the country, and the danger incurred by those who came thither to exchange diamonds against the paper money of Brazil, prevented the respectable merchants from engaging in this commerce. But as the population, nevertheless, gradually increased, police regulations were adopted by the new colonists; and the working of the mine began then on an extended scale. The population, which in the previous August numbered only 8,000 souls, distributed amongst three townships, was at the close of July last upwards of 30,000, and is continually increasing. The villages now inhabited and worked are seven in number-Paraguassu, Combucas, Chique-Chique, Causu-Boa, Andrahy, Nagé, and Lancoës. The latter of these, twenty leagues distant from Paraguassu, contains alone 3,000 houses and 20,000 inhabitants. The central point of the diamond commerce is Para- guassu, which, though populous, has yet only twelve small houses of masonry. Nearly all the miners come thither on Saturday and Sunday, to sell the stones which they have collected during the week-taking back, in exchange, various articles of consumption, arms, and ready-made clothing, which come from Bahia at great cost. The diamonds found at Paraguassu are for the most part of a dun colour and very irregular conformation. Those of Lancoës are white, or light green, and nearly transparent as they come from the mine. They are octoedrical, and the most prized of any. It is often necessary to penetrate to a depth of three or four yards ere coming at the diamond stratum. Diamonds are gathered, too, in the stony ravines at the bottom of the Paraguassu itself, and of its tributary streams." ''Source - (From The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser, the Athenaeum, Nov. 22)''

References

The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843-1893)

Sin Cura

(genitive cūrae); f, first declension Care, give attention to, to take care of, concern, thought; trouble, solicitude; anxiety, concern, grief, sorrow. Attention, management, administration, charge, care; command, office; guardianship. Written work, writing. (medicine) Medical attendance, healing. (agriculture) Rearing, culture, care. (rare) An attendant, guardian, observer. vocative singular of cūra

References

Landforms of Bahia Mountain ranges of Brazil {{Bahia-geo-stub