Building a future: the micromount collection-laboratory of the MCNB

Abstract

Created in 1990, the Micromount collection of the Natural History Museum of Barcelona (MCNB) currently (May 2013) contains nearly 10.000 registered samples, including near 900 well identified mineral species and an interesting amount of well represented type localities. In 2014 the MCNB has integrated the Masoliver collection, with a little more than 7000 samples, an important content of species considered rare and very rare, a noticeable contribution on type localities and an excellent representation of Spanish and Catalan mineral localities. In the general background of the MCNB's mineralogical heritage, the collection is destined to grow as a major resource in Mineralogy, especially concerning aspects such as the correct identification of the species, well represented localities (with a special emphasis on type and Iberian localities), a complete description and images. The digital collection has been uploaded to the net in 2014.