The Brazilian state that was the major producer of gold for the Portuguese crown in the 18th century was Minas Gerais.
Gold was discovered there in the late 17th century, with major finds reported around 1695 in the interior region then known as the sertões de Cataguases. The discoveries triggered a large rush of settlers, miners, enslaved Africans, merchants, and colonial officials into southeastern Brazil. Vila Rica, now Ouro Preto, became the principal administrative and mining center.
Portugal tightly controlled the industry through taxes and regulations. The best-known levy was the quinto, or royal fifth, under which one-fifth of the gold was owed to the crown. In the 18th century, Minas Gerais became central to Portuguese colonial finances, although production declined toward the end of the century. The state’s name itself means “General Mines,” reflecting the breadth of its mineral wealth. It is sometimes confused with Goiás or Mato Grosso, which also produced gold, but Minas Gerais was the dominant and most historically important center during the main gold boom.