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 | 2007 |
2009 |
- Photography by Ken Larsen.
Mineral: Orthoclase, Feldspar (variety: Moonstone)
Weight: 35.38 carats
Origin: Tanzania
Gift of Bill Larson, Pala International, 2009
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- Photography by Ken Larsen.
Mineral: Spessartine, Garnet
Weight: 2.53 carats
Origin: Maevatanana, Madagascar
Gift of Tom Cushman, Allerton-Cushman, 2009
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- Photography by Ken Larsen.
Mineral: Grossular, Garnet (variety: Tsavorite)
Weight: 1.93 carats
Origin: Taita/Taveta District, Kenya
Gift of Campbell Bridges, 2009
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- Photography by Ken Larsen.
Mineral: Opal
Weight: 8.86 carats, 33.15 carats, 643.9 carats
Origin: Mezezo and Welo, Ethiopia
Gift of Opalinda and EyaOpal, 2009
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- Photography by Ken Larsen.
Mineral: Fluorite
Weight: 40.01 carats
Origin: Tanzania
Gift of Dudley Blauwet, Blauwet Gems, 2009
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- Photography by Ken Larsen.
Mineral: Calcite
Weight: 8.48 carats
Origin: Tanzania
Gift of Dudley Blauwet, Blauwet Gems, 2009
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- Photography by Ken Larsen.
Mineral: Quartz
Weight: 3.20 carats
Origin: Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Gift of Luciana Barbosa, Gemological Center, 2009
more...  |
 |
Photography by Ken Larsen. | |
| Mineral: Pentahydroborite | Mineral: Nifontovite |
| Weight: 0.43 carat | Weight: 0.48 carat |
| Origin: Fuka Mine, Fuka, Bicchu, Kawakami, Okayama, Japan | Origin: Fuka Mine, Fuka, Bicchu, Kawakami, Okayama, Japan |
| Gift of Yuko Tanaka, 2009 | more... |
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 H. Rosenthal & Ruth E. Ganister , 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
more... 
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