São Paulo – In the southeast of the state of Goiás, a small city carries the responsibility of having in its soil the largest reserves of white quartz crystal in the world. It is this fame that is circulating among the residents of Cristalina, and that leaders in the sector have been making into riches for the city. Some two years ago, the city in the state of Goiás started developing project Terra do Cristal, which prepares local businessmen and artisans and has ambitious targets, like also making the product from Cristalina into an export product.
The project is developed by Camargo Corrêa Institute, the construction company’s social arm, in partnership with the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae). In total, over 100 artisans, both formal and informal, participate in the initiative. Adding the work of all families involved, the number of people benefited is over 300, according to the manager of Terra do Cristal programme for the Sebrae, Divino de Faria Albernaz.
They undergo technical and managerial, as well as design training, and have available to them workshops for cutting, jewellery and smelting for the training of labour. Also through the project, the group participates in fairs in the area in Brazil and the Cristalina City Council is about to approve a project for the City Hall to donate a piece of land for the Crystal Market, a site for permanent trade of articles made out of the city’s products.
Crystals are removed from the ground by mining companies that operate there, as well as by small miners, in a cooperative. The artisans, then, make them into gems, jewels with gold and silver, costume jewellery or handicraft, like cup holders or vases. Most are sold within Brazil, at fairs or for the company’s or artisan’s product portfolio, but some go abroad. Thailand and Italy are countries that receive the products, but through private initiatives of the artisans. The target is for, after qualified, courses also to be offered in the area of foreign trade, according to Albernaz.
The manager says that exploration of crystal has already been the main economic activity of the city, though in recent years it ended up being turned to agriculture and becoming renowned for the strong presence of irrigated cultures. The city has at its disposal mainly white crystal, but also uses colourful and natural stones from other locations. There are no figures as to the turnover of activity in the city, but Jewellery, Mineral Handicraft and Precious Stone Fair (Fecris), which took place in Cristalina early this month, generated 200,000 Brazilian reals (c. US$ 130,000). Four thousand people visited the fair.
Camargo Corrêa
The Terra do Cristal project started being implemented in 2009, but, before that, the Sebrae already operated in the region training at the Local Hub. Entrance of the Camargo Corrêa Institute, however, boosted the operation. The institute develops social projects in regions in which the group operates. In this case, the company is building Batalha hydroelectric power dam, between the cities of Cristalina and Paracatu, in Minas Gerais, explained Jair Resende, the coordinator of the organisation’s Ideal Future project, for generation of labour and income.
The initiative in Cristalina is part of the Ideal Future program, developed by Camargo Corrêa institute, as are other programs, like First Childhood, Ideal School and Volunteer. The organisation normally researches the needs of the region where it will operate. In Cristalina, according to Resende, great potential was found due to its artisans, their good ideas and products, despite the need for some guidance. The institute therefore delegated execution of the project to the Sebrae. It is Camargo Corrêa itself that covers the cost of the operation, within the institute’s budget, used to develop projects in 45 cities in 14 states.
*Translated by Mark Ament
