Milenyum Mining Makes Csarite™ Donation to Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection

Milenyum Mining Donates Important Csarite™ Gemstones 

to the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection

The Smithsonian Institution’s National Gem Collection, housed at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. is the new home to two rare and significant Csarite™ gemstones, after a donation by ilenyum Mining, Ltd. Csarite™ is an unusual gem quality, color-change diaspore actively mined at only one global source in the Anatolia Mountains of Turkey. The donation was presented at the AGTA Tucson GemFair and accepted by Dr. Jeffrey Post, curator of the National Gem Collection.

Dr. Jeffrey Post, Curator and Russell Feather, Gem Collection Manager, accepting the donation of Csarite™ gemstones to the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection during the AGTA GemFair in Tucson, February 2014.

“Large color-change diaspore gemstones are rare, indeed,” stated Post. “The 159.33 carat cats eye cabochon and 44.48 carat faceted oval are both significant upgrades to the collection, so we are very appreciative of the contribution.”

Murat Akgun, president of Milenyum Mining adds “To our knowledge, currently there are fewer than twenty faceted Csarite™ gemstones in the world that have a weight of 40 carats and above. Given the rarity of this unusual gem, we feel the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection is a fitting home for two of the few examples available in this size and quality.”

MML is the world’s only actively-mining source supply of Turkish diaspore, a natural, unenhanced colored gemstone. Responsible for cutting and marketing of this phenomenal gemstone, MML’s mission is to introduce gem and jewelry connoisseurs around the globe to Turkish diaspore’s unique beauty and rarity. MML is a member of The International Colored Gemstone Association.

The Smithsonian Institution’s National Gem and Mineral Collection consists of approximately 350,000 mineral specimens and 10,000 gems, making it one of the largest of its kind in the world. It is the home of the Hope Diamond, one of the most visited museum objects in the world.