MCP returns to Tucson, bringing the world’s leading mineral preparation laboratory to one of the most important international events in the field.

From January 29th to February 14th 2026, MCP will be present at the @tucsonfinemineralgallery , With the largest laboratory facilities in the sector and a globally recognized expertise in preparation, restoration, and specimen evaluation, MCP represents a reference point for museums, private collectors, and major international collections.

Tucson is not just a fair, but a global meeting place where excellence, research, and high-level collecting converge. For the 2026 edition, MCP will once again be present with its full technical and scientific vision.

New developments and exclusive updates will be revealed directly in Tucson.

👉 Meet us in Arizona and contact MCP. Find us at Tucson Fine Mineral Gallery and Westward Look Resort.

📍Tucson, Arizona, USA
🗓 January 29th – February 14th, 2026

👨🏼‍🔬 MCP Lab, specimen selected by @pezzottafederico and @urban_strahler
📸 Ph. and Video @federico_picciani

#minerals #crystals #gemstones #geology #mineralcollection #tucsonshow #tucson2026 #westwardlook #mcplab #fineminerals #usa ...

Once the detached crystals were isolated and cleaned, work shifted to their reintegration. Modern, non-yellowing resins were selected to restore structural continuity while ensuring long-term stability and visual neutrality.

Each repositioning was verified against historical documentation, maintaining absolute consistency with the specimen’s appearance at the time it entered the Mineralogy Museum of Florence. No adjustment was made beyond what was necessary to recover stability and readability.

This is a restoration that does not aim to impress. It aims to be faithful.
An intervention that does not alter the specimen, but allows it to continue its trajectory through time as a documented museum object.

👉 MCP Lab — restoration, consolidation, and preparation for public and institutional collections.
👨🏼‍🔬 Conservative restoration and museum preparation.
🔬 Museum specimen — Intervention phase: selective detachment and chemical cleaning
📍 Grotta d’Oggi, Elba Island, Italy
💎 Polychrome tourmaline – Museum specimen – Selected by Federico Pezzotta and Alessandro Paladini

🏛️ Collection: Mineralogy Museum, University of Florence

📸 Photo @federico_picciani

#mineralpreparation #museumrestoration #heritagecare #tourmaline #elba #mcpitaly ...

The first operational phase involved selectively detaching only those crystals that had been reattached during past interventions. This was carried out using a localized solvent, carefully applied to avoid any interaction with the original matrix.

The procedure required a slow, calibrated approach, with virtually no margin for error. Each action was designed to isolate compromised materials without introducing new stress to the structure.

Once detached, the specimen underwent a controlled cleaning phase. Non-aggressive chemical agents were selected to remove residues and surface alterations while fully preserving color, surface texture, and crystallographic integrity.
This phase is essential to restore a neutral and stable base before any reintegration can be considered.

👉 MCP Lab — conservative cleaning is a structural, not aesthetic, process.
👨🏼‍🔬 Conservative restoration and museum preparation.
🔬 Museum specimen — Intervention phase: selective detachment and chemical cleaning
📍 Grotta d’Oggi, Elba Island, Italy
💎 Polychrome tourmaline – Museum specimen – Selected by Federico Pezzotta and Alessandro Paladini

🏛️ Collection: Mineralogy Museum, University of Florence

📸 Photo @federico_picciani

#mineralpreparation #museumrestoration #heritagecare #tourmaline #elba #mcpitaly ...

Preparing a museum specimen follows a different logic than working on a piece from a private collection. In this context, every gesture must remain faithful to a history that predates the intervention itself.

The guiding question is not “how can it be improved?”, but “how can its readability be restored without altering it?”.

This distinction defines one of the most delicate areas of laboratory work.
This large cluster of polychrome tourmalines from Grotta d’Oggi, Elba Island — over 30 centimeters in diameter, with main crystals exceeding 7 cm — carried a long history of previous restorations. Old adhesives, yellowed resins, and consolidations no longer suitable had accumulated over time.

The challenge was clear: intervene without modifying the specimen’s morphology, as its shape has been documented since 1883 and is itself part of the specimen’s historical heritage.

👉 MCP Lab — museum-grade restoration begins with historical and material analysis.

👨🏼‍🔬 Conservative restoration and museum preparation.
🔬 Museum specimen — Preliminary assessment and conservation planning
📍 Grotta d’Oggi, Elba Island, Italy
💎 Polychrome tourmaline – Museum specimen – Selected by Federico Pezzotta and Alessandro Paladini

🏛️ Collection: Mineralogy Museum, University of Florence
📸 Photo @federico_picciani

#mineralpreparation #museumrestoration #heritagecare #tourmaline #elba #mcpitaly ...

The final result restores the specimen’s original harmony, allowing the crystal group to recover its structural integrity and visual readability.

The intervention remains stable, documented, and fully respectful of the specimen’s original morphology.

In cases like this, the goal is not to improve the specimen, but to preserve it. Restoration is applied only where necessary, with the sole intention of returning coherence to a structure that would otherwise remain fragmented.

👉 MCP Lab — contact us to evaluate the most appropriate restoration options for your specimens.

👨🏼‍🔬 Mineral preparation and restoration.
🔬 Restored specimen — Intervention: reassembly of fragments with high-tech resins
📍 Tsumeb Mine, Namibia
💎 Cerussite — twinned aggregate – Specimen worked in MCP Lab – Selected by @pezzottafederico and @urban_strahler

📸 Photo @federico_picciani

#mineralpreparation #restoration #crystalrepair #cerussite #tsumeb #mcpitaly ...

Only after verifying geometries, angles, and optical compatibility could the bonding phase proceed.

Each fragment was repositioned according to the original crystallographic orientation, with constant control of alignment and contact pressure.

This type of work is measured in hundredths of a millimeter and requires stable positioning, controlled movements, and continuous visual verification. The objective is to restore structural continuity without introducing stress or artificial tension within the crystal group.

At this stage, precision is not a choice, but a requirement.

👉 MCP Lab — fragile materials demand controlled techniques and dedicated protocols.

👨🏼‍🔬 Mineral preparation and restoration.
🔬 Restored specimen — Intervention phase: fragment bonding with high-tech resin
📍 Tsumeb Mine, Namibia
💎 Cerussite — twinned aggregate – Specimen worked in MCP Lab – Selected by @pezzottafederico and @urban_strahler

📸 Photo @federico_picciani

#mineralpreparation #restoration #crystalrepair #cerussite #tsumeb #mcpitaly ...

Once cleaning was completed, the study phase began.

This stage involves a patient and methodical analysis aimed at identifying the original position of each fragment and establishing the correct sequence for reintegration.

With cerussite, precision is mandatory. Contact points are extremely thin, the tolerable pressure is minimal, and the high-tech resins used for bonding, while offering excellent mechanical strength, are irreversible once cured. Any misalignment at this stage would compromise both stability and readability.

For this reason, no bonding is attempted before the geometry of the entire structure is fully understood.

👉 MCP Lab — every repair begins with analysis, not action.

👨🏼‍🔬 Mineral preparation and restoration.
🔬 Restored specimen — Study phase: fragment mapping and reintegration planning
📍 Tsumeb Mine, Namibia
💎 Cerussite — twinned aggregate – Specimen worked in MCP Lab – Selectedby @pezzottafederico and @urban_strahler

📸 Photo @federico_picciani

#mineralpreparation #restoration #crystalrepair #cerussite #tsumeb #mcpitaly ...

Cerussite is one of the most unforgiving minerals to work with.

Soft, impact-sensitive, and intrinsically fragile, it tolerates no margin of error. A minimal involuntary movement, an unbalanced placement, or an inattentive transport can cause a perfectly formed crystal to fracture into multiple fragments.

In this twinned aggregate from the Tsumeb Mine, Namibia, several crystals had been accidentally broken. Before any intervention could be considered, the specimen required a controlled and delicate cleaning phase, aimed at removing dust, residues, and superficial crusts that could interfere with the accuracy of the reassembly.

This preliminary step is essential to ensure a clear reading of fracture surfaces and contact points.

👉 MCP Lab — contact us for a technical assessment of fragile specimens.

👨🏼‍🔬 Mineral preparation and restoration.
🔬 Restored specimen — Preliminary phase: surface cleaning and condition assessment
📍 Tsumeb Mine, Namibia
💎 Cerussite — twinned aggregate – Specimen worked in MCP Lab – Selected by @pezzottafederico and @urban_strahler

📸 Photo @federico_picciani

#mineralpreparation #restoration #crystalrepair #cerussite #tsumeb #mcpitaly ...

✨ A new year begins.

What has been preserved, studied, and protected over time does not always announce itself immediately. Some projects require silence before disclosure, and some collections are meant to be understood before being seen.

The coming year will bring clarity to what has been quietly prepared, without haste and without noise.
2025 will reveal what has been patiently taking form.

👨🏼‍🔬 MCP Lab, @pezzottafederico @urban_strahler
📸 Ph. and Graph @federico_picciani

#minerals #crystals #gemstones #geology #mineralcollection #newyear #mcpitaly ...

Repair work requires precision, but above all a correct evaluation of the specimen and its fracture. Every intervention starts from the assumption that the original geometry must be respected, not interpreted.

This elbaite from the Pederneira Mine, Brazil, is a nine-centimeter crystal originally detached from a matrix of lepidolite and albite. The break was clean, a fundamental condition that allows a controlled and technically sound repair.

The first phase consisted of a complete cleaning of all fracture surfaces. This step is essential to verify the accuracy of the fitting, assess the contact geometry and exclude the presence of micro-gaps or contaminants that could compromise the stability of the intervention over time.

Only after this analytical phase can a repair be planned correctly.

👉 MCP Lab — contact us for a technical assessment of your specimen.

👨🏼‍🔬 Mineral preparation and restoration.
‍🔬 Restored specimen — Preliminary phase: surface cleaning and fracture analysis
📍 Pederneira Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil
💎Elbaite on lepidolite and albite – Specimen worked in MCP Lab – Selected by @pezzottafederico and @urban_strahler
📏 Crystal size: ~9 cm

📸 Photo @federico_picciani

#mineralpreparation #restoration #crystalrepair #tourmaline #pederneira #mcpitaly ...

🎄 This Christmas sounds different.

Some stories are not meant to be revealed all at once, and some collections need time before being shown.

This year, our Christmas tree carries more than ornaments: inside the spheres are forms that many will recognize, but only a few will truly read. What matters is not what is immediately visible, but what is already there, waiting quietly under the surface.

Under the tree, something is taking shape.

👨🏼‍🔬 MCP Lab, @pezzottafederico @urban_strahler
📸 Ph. and Graph. @federico_picciani

#minerals #crystals #gemstones #geology #mineralcollection christmas xmas mcpitaly ...

Celestine [SrSO₄] – Freeing the form, revealing the structure.

Trimming this celestine was not a simple reduction of matrix but an act of reading. Each prism indicated a direction of growth, each interlock suggested where the rock had held the light for too long. The process began with geometric analysis: recognising pressure lines, identifying natural surfaces, understanding what belonged to the mineral and what was constraining it.

The cuts were executed millimetre by millimetre, following the symmetry of the main prisms. Excess matrix was removed conservatively to preserve the continuity of the crystallisation. In certain areas, the rock adhered so tightly that micro‑preparation tools were required to avoid internal stress. Once freed, the crystals revealed their complete architecture: deep transparencies, sharp terminations and a volumetric balance that had previously only been hinted at.

When performed correctly, trimming does not add and does not correct—it restores. It brings the mineral back to its original readability, respecting its form, its history and its identity.

👉 Looking for a laboratory to restore or enhance your specimen? Contact MCP Lab for a tailored technical evaluation.

💎 Celestine [SrSO₄] – Specimen worked in MCP Lab – Selected by @pezzottafederico and @urban_strahler
📍 Sakoany deposit, Katsepy Commune, Mitsinjo District, Boeny, Madagascar
📏 Dimensions: Height: 15 cm – Width: 14 cm – Depth: 13 cm – Main crystal: 10 cm
👨🏼‍🔬 MCP Lab
🔎 Source: @mindatorg

📸 Photo and Video @federico_picciani

#minerals #crystals #gemstones #geology #mineralcollection #celestite #madagascar ...

Celestine [SrSO₄] – Precision as a form of care.

Every specimen entering MCP laboratories carries a geological history but also the traces of its journey: compact sediments, micro-encrustations and areas where the matrix restricts the reading of the prisms. This celestine was no exception. Working on its balance and readability began with extremely delicate mechanical cleaning, performed face by face, following the natural geometry of the prisms.

The veiled areas were treated with controlled chemical cleaning, calibrated to preserve lustre and structural finesse. Selective trimming freed the main prisms from excess matrix, revealing the continuity of the crystallisation and the depth of its blue. The entire intervention was guided by a simple principle: add nothing, remove only what prevented the mineral from revealing itself.

👉 Looking for a laboratory to restore or enhance your specimen? Contact MCP Lab for a tailored technical evaluation.

💎 Celestine [SrSO₄] – Specimen worked in MCP Lab – Selected by @pezzottafederico and @urban_strahler
📍 Sakoany deposit, Katsepy Commune, Mitsinjo District, Boeny, Madagascar
📏 Dimensions: Height: 15 cm – Width: 14 cm – Depth: 13 cm – Main crystal: 10 cm
👨🏼‍🔬 MCP Lab
🔎 Source: @mindatorg

📸 Photo and Video @federico_picciani

#minerals #crystals #gemstones #geology #mineralcollection #celestite #madagascar ...

Celestine [SrSO₄] – Architecture of light in strontium sulfate.

Celestine from Sakoany is one of the most elegant expressions of strontium sulfate in nature. The crystals grow in the prismatic habit typical of the species, yet here they reach proportions and purities that exceed expectations.

This structural regularity is no accident. It reflects an extremely stable geochemical environment, with strontium-saturated fluids and spacious cavities allowing stress-free development. The colour—a blue shifting from ice to sky—owes its quality to structural fineness and lattice purity. Each reflection is a meeting point between crystalline order and geological time.

👉 Looking for a laboratory to restore or enhance your specimen? Contact MCP Lab for a tailored technical evaluation.

💎 Celestine [SrSO₄] – Specimen worked in MCP Lab – Selected by @pezzottafederico and @urban_strahler
📍 Sakoany deposit, Katsepy Commune, Mitsinjo District, Boeny, Madagascar
📏 Dimensions: Height: 15 cm – Width: 14 cm – Depth: 13 cm – Main crystal: 10 cm
👨🏼‍🔬 MCP Lab
🔎 Source: @mindatorg

📸 Photo and Video @federico_picciani

#minerals #crystals #gemstones #geology #mineralcollection #celestite #madagascar ...