Dr. Raymond W. Grant retired professor of geology, Founder and Curator Pinal Geology and Mineral Museum, Founder and President Pinal Gem & Mineral Society, Life Member and Past President Mineralogical Society of Arizona, Past Chairman Flagg Mineral Foundation, mineralogist, author of The Checklist of Arizona Minerals, first edition (1982) and second edition (2007) and co-author with Anthony, Williams, Bideaux and Wilson of the Mineralogy of Arizona, third edition (1995) and Thumbnail Mineral Collector, Florence, Arizona.
Ray has mineral species RAYGRANTITE named in his honor and is featured in Mineral Collections in Arizona (May-June 2013 Supplement) The Mineralogical Record. He received his Ph.D. in Geology from Harvard University (1968) and was Professor of Geology at Mesa Community College (1975-2001) and part time (2001-2006).
A new mineral species gets its name from Dr.Grant! Raygrantite, has been found in the Big Horn Mountains, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA. Associated minerals are galena, anglesite, cerussite, lanarkite, leadhillite, mattheddleite, alamosite, hydrocerussite, caledonite, and diaboleite. Raygrantite crystals are bladed with striations parallel to the elongated direction. The mineral is colorless, transparent with white streak, and has a vitreous luster.
