the paper áreas cársticas, cavernas e a estrada real (karst areas, caves and the estrada real), by luiz eduardo panisset travassos, rosa lane guimarães, and isabela dalle varela approaches caves and the estrada real, originally the historic route for the movement of precious metals and gemstones in colonial brazil, that has been re-opened to encourage the flow of tourists to the region and strengthen the economic basis of the municipalities involved - a list of 126 caves along this route are discussed in various lithologies: limestone, dolomite, quartzite, and granite. 

part of the instituto chico mendes de conservação da biodiversidade - icmbio, the centro nacional de pesquisa e conservação de cavernas is the brazilian national institute in charge of the conservation and study of the national caves, and makes further information available on this link.