Connolly's Lost emerald mines - Brazil

[stefanb74]

Hi all,

I read a book about 20 years ago or so on various lsot treasures and legends, which talked about Connolly's lost emerald mines in Brazil.

I haven't been able to locate either the book (as i don't recall the title or author) or any other information about this. Story effectively went like this: American explorer goes to Brazil on expedition, gets lost in the jungle after everyone in his expedition dies from disease and other. Ends up living with an Indian tribe for a length of time, as a captive in effect, escapes and finds a mine/area where emeralds are found all over the surrounding area. Finally gets out of the jungle and mounts another expedition some time later to find the emerald mine again and disappears.

Anyone aware of or has more information on this?

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[chris]

I have a copy of this story from a book called the treasure seekers treasury hope it helps or i can zerox you a copy !

[Alaskan Adventurer]

I think you guys are mistaken. Stewart Connelly was an American who stumbled across the emerald deposit but this was not in Brazil. It was in Ecuador, near the Colombia border which is now in the heart of FARC territory. This case is actually in the archives in Quito. The deposit has never been re-discovered since. The quality of the emeralds is comparable to the Muzo mines in Colombia, which happens to produce the highest quality emeralds in the world. Locating this deposit would be priceless.

The story is in Jane Dolinger's out of print book, Inca Gold.

I live in Ecuador, and this is in the works as a future project.

[lilorphanannie]

hi, i currently live in the country of mexico, but from 1985 to 1999 i lived in colombia. i worked in mineral exploration, and prospected in my free time. i had a dredging operation for gold in the department of choco, colombia, and mined ,bought and sold emeralds ,and spent a great deal of time looking for this lost deposit. i spent months on the ground. trying to retrace connellys steps, using every clue possible, in geology, geography, language, interviews, i even paid for announcements for months on several indigenous radio stations across the amazon,hoping to find anyone who was related to ,or remembered anything. met with three or four indigenous councils. worked with linguists, experts in amazonian dialects, trying to fit the native words onto one or more of the dialects. my strength was geology, i had maps topo and geological from ingeominas(the colombian mining agency) ,the most intriguing comment conelly made was that the hills were black, a carboneaceous shale, thats exactly like those of muzo and chivor. i have not seen the orginal text in the ecuadors mining agencys files, and i believe some of the native words were ommited from the popular reports ,purposely, because, some of those given arent of local orgin. however, there is enough information, the distance travelled , the geological description, some of the words ,all directed me to one and only one target. it is interesting to note that the ecuadorian mining agency has reports of finding emerald occurences in several points along the path connelly would have taken, but im almost sure the site is located in colombia, a southern extention of the boyaca beryl formations. unfortunately, as you mentioned the area is unsafe for travel (farc),and it was 10 times worse in the time i was there. secondly the area where this dry riverbed is located is now in a reserve, open only to scientific study, and third access is via helicopter. i hope to rent a helicopter someday and land in that riverbed, i would need just two hours to fill up my pockets. if not ,ill be happy for anyone else who finds it.

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

***** mi amigo annie, top story.

Don Jose de La Mancha

[cactusjumper]

Hi all,

I read a book about 20 years ago or so on various lsot treasures and legends, which talked about Connolly's lost emerald mines in Brazil.

I haven't been able to locate either the book (as i don't recall the title or author) or any other information about this. Story effectively went like this: American explorer goes to Brazil on expedition, gets lost in the jungle after everyone in his expedition dies from disease and other. Ends up living with an Indian tribe for a length of time, as a captive in effect, escapes and finds a mine/area where emeralds are found all over the surrounding area. Finally gets out of the jungle and mounts another expedition some time later to find the emerald mine again and disappears.

Anyone aware of or has more information on this?

Stefan,

You can find copies of the book here:

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sear...Gold&x=42&y=15

It was first published in 1967 in the United Kingdom, and then in the US in 1968. I have a first edition from the UK.

Good Luck,

Joe Ribaudo

[Sneaky Pete]

Alaskan Aventurer has it right. I studied this project for many years. I have been in those areas which are now in FARC hands. I was also working with Stan Grist on information that I acquired, however, we haven't been in touch for quite some time. The mines do exist as I was able to obtain small crystals from the indians and had them analyzed. Unfortunately, I am now 75 years old and getting too old to explore remote areas. If I can be of any help, please feel free to ask.

[stefanb74]

came back to this thread after a long absence, and looks like my timing was pretty good! many thanks all for the both interesting and useful replies

[Danny1413]

I just checked out this tread because my last name is connolly.

[Crow]

interesting story

But there are a few parts of story that are unclear. Did anyone find out the full name of this alleged connolly?

Crow

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

G'morning Crow, "Connolly, tis enough that it is Oirish, bottoms up Danny, gentlemen. Seriously, I am fascinated with the basic story. It seems that most of the excellent projects lie in disputed areas - for obvious reasons, stilll.

I hear that the FARC is concludng a peace making agreement, if so, we shall see Crow flying off to the area.

However, don't forget to take your special haka with you my friend.

Don Jose de La Mancha

[Crow]

And the top of the morning to ya! My good friend Don Jose.

How's my partners in crime going? I hope they have'nt been milking all your stories off you?

Coffee?

I have been back from that detestable thing called work to my beach shack. Kanacki and tribe paid my place a visit and drank all my home brews. Left a note saying thanks for the beers was nice but could I brew a lager next time.

Ya know I am cautious and suspicious character that has been around the block perhaps once too often with these legends. Ya know I cannot help myself that I have a little dig into the legend. One version states the name of this person was Stewart Connolly from Illinois. however...

I could not find any trace of him in Birth death marriges. War records or shipping records from Ecuador to or from the united States in various spelling variations. I would love to see photographs of the orginal documents hint hint, anyone?


Crow