Curetonite Locality: Redhouse Barite Mine, Potosi District, Humboldt County, Nevada , USA ( Locality at mindat.org ) Size: small cabinet, 5.6 x 3.7 x 2.9 cm Curetonite This specimen, sold by rarities dealer John Metteer to John White, hosts two very minute but eye-visible smears of green on one face…and that is actually a pretty good representative example of this very rare species named after dealer and collector Forrest Cureton. This is the TYPE and ONLY locale for the species, which is a complex titanium-bearing phosphate. Ex. John White Collection. — Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0
Curetonite
Curetonite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the phosphate class, with the chemical formula Ba(Al,Ti)(PO₄)(OH,O)F.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group P2_1/n). It is a member of the Laueite structural group.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3.5; specific gravity 4.42; White streak; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Cut, IMA status: approved, named in 1978.
A rare mineral, in veins cutting a replacement barite deposit.
It is found associated with Orthoclase, barite, variscite, montgomeryite, englishite, sulvanite, hisingerite, “opal”.
In honor of Forrest Ellsworth Cureton II (1932–), mineral dealer and collector, Tucson, Arizona, USA, and Michael Edward Cureton (1960–), mineral collector, Stockton, California, USA.