Department of Mineral Sciences

New Acquisitions

Even the Smithsonian does not have the resources or capacity to collect everything, and therefore each potential acquisition is evaluated by curators and collection managers to determine if it should be accepted into the collection. Criteria considered include: 1) is it different than what we already have, 2) is it an upgrade or variation of existing specimens, 3) does it represent a new and potentially interesting locality for the mineral or gem, 4) has the specimen been part of a research study, 5) will it enhance the public exhibition, 6) is there an interesting history, human or geological, associated with the specimen, 7) is it a potentially important specimen for research, 8) will the specimen be appropriate for use in educational programs, etc. If it is the judgment of the staff that a specimen meets one or more of these criteria, then it is accessioned, catalogued, and information associated with it entered into a computerized database.

The National Gem and Mineral Collection is dynamic and growing, thanks in large part to many generous gifts of specimens and funds. The gems and minerals featured here are some of the more recent additions to the collection.

New Acquisitions Archive

2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006

2008

: Photography by Ken Larsen.

Mineral: Hydroxyl-Herderite

Weight: 161.08 carats

Origin: Ouro Verde, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Gift of Tiffany & Co. Foundation, 2008

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: Photography by Ken Larsen.

Mineral: Opal

Variety: Fire

Weight: 23.15 carats

Origin: Queretaro, Mexico

Gift of Anton Rosenthal, 2008

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: Photography by Ken Larsen.

Mineral: Andradite (Garnet family)

Variety: Demantoid

Origin: Namibia, Green Dragon Mine

Gift of Chris Johnston, Johnston-Namibia, 2008

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: Photography by Ken Larsen.

Mineral: Scapolite

Variety: Cat’s Eye

Weight: 12.81 carats

Origin: Mogok, Burma

Gift of Bill Larson, Pala International, 2008

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: Photography by Ken Larsen.

Mineral: Quartz

Variety: Amethyst

Weight: 9.95 carats

Origin: Andapa, Madagascar

Gift of Thomas Cushman, Allerton Cushman, 2008

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: Photography by Ken Larsen.

Mineral: Zoisite

Weight: 2.07 carats total weight

Origin: Tanzania

Gift of Edward Boehm, JOEB Enterprises, 2008

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: Photography by Ken Larsen.

Mineral: Spessartine (Garnet Family)

Weight: 19.77 carats

Origin: Lundazi Mine, Zambia

Gift of Edward Boehm, JOEB Enterprises, 2008

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: Photography by Ken Larsen.

Mineral: Triplite

Weight: 2.60 carats

Origin: Shigar Valley, Pakistan

Gift of Luciana Barbosa, Gemological Center, 2008

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: Photography by Ken Larsen.

Mineral: Diaspore

Variety: Zultanite

Weight: 9.66 carats

Origin: Anatolia, Turkey

Gift of Yoshi Kirsch, Zultanite Gems, LLC, 2008

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2007


Photography by Chip Clark.

Mineral: Grossular (Garnet family)	Mineral: Elbaite (Tourmaline family)
Variety: Tsavorite	Weight: 40.10 carats
Weight: 15.93 carats	Origin: Mozambique
Origin: Kenya	Gift of Tiffany & Co. Foundation, 2007
Gift of Tiffany & Co. Foundation, 2006