Cuzticite is a rare secondary mineral typically found as a yellow crust or powdery coating on oxidized tellurium ores. It is primarily identified by its distinct resinous luster and association with other rare tellurium minerals in hydrothermal systems.
Is this cuzticite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch cuzticite with a known reference. Cuzticite sits at Mohs 2.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Cuzticite leaves a yellow streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Cuzticite typically shows a resinous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, brownish-yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: amorphous. Typical habit: crusts, reniform, powdery aggregates.
Often confused with
Cuzticite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Cuzticite leaves yellow, Tellurite leaves white; luster reads resinous on Cuzticite and adamantine on Tellurite.
How to tell apart: Emmonsite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5 vs. 2.5); streak differs — Cuzticite leaves yellow, Emmonsite leaves pale yellow; luster reads resinous on Cuzticite and vitreous on Emmonsite.
Often found alongside cuzticite
Minerals reported to co-occur with cuzticite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Fe₂TeO₆·3H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 4.5-4.8 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellow
- Luster
- Resinous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Amorphous
- Crystal habit
- Crusts, Reniform, Powdery Aggregates
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Oxidized Zones of Tellurium-bearing Hydrothermal Ore Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen depending on size and quality
Where rockhounds find cuzticite
Classic worldwide localities
- Moctezuma mine, Sonora, Mexico
- Tombstone, Arizona, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized zones of tellurium-bearing hydrothermal ore deposits country — that is the host setting where cuzticite typically forms. If you start seeing tellurite, emmonsite, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a crusts, reniform, powdery aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find cuzticite on the map
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