Burstruis

Burstruis is a fictional mineral species used in geology education and mineralogy texts to illustrate complex silicate structures. It is described as a dense, dark mineral with a metallic to submetallic luster, with composition dominated by a strontium–iron silicate framework and minor substitutions by barium and titanium.

Discovery and naming

Burstruis was described by geologist A. N. Kirev in 1992 in the fictional Burstryn region during studies of hydrothermal veins. The name combines the local toponym Burstryn with the standard mineral suffix -ite, following conventions used for silicate minerals.

Composition and structure

The approximate formula for Burstruis is SrFe2Si4O12, with limited substitution by Ba and Ti. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system and occurs as prismatic to tabular crystals, often in skeletal or irregular aggregates. Burstruis is considered part of the broader silicate family related to garnet-like frameworks, with cation ordering that can vary slightly in natural samples.

Occurrence and associations

Burstruis forms in high-temperature hydrothermal veins and in contact metamorphic skarns associated with granitic intrusions. It is typically found alongside magnetite, hedenbergite, wollastonite, and apatite, among other silicate and oxide minerals.

Physical properties and uses

Color ranges from black to dark brown, with a vitreous to submetallic luster. Mohs hardness is about 6.0–6.5, and the reported specific gravity is 4.8–5.3. Due to its rarity and hypothetical basis, Burstruis has limited economic value but is used in teaching and research as an example of complex silicate structure and cation ordering in mineralogy.