Chadwickin

Chadwickin is a fictional mineral used in educational contexts to illustrate mineral classification and non-stoichiometric sulfide chemistry. It is described in fictional texts as a metallic sulfide with variable composition and properties that depend on formation conditions.

Etymology and naming conventions: The name Chadwickin honors a fictional geologist, often cited as Dr. Amelia Chadwick, and follows the common mineral suffix -in used in teaching examples.

Discovery and classification: In the imagined literature, Chadwickin was first described in 1987 in a study of hydrothermal veins near a location named Mount Calder. It is categorized as a non-stoichiometric sulfide with a layered crystal structure, used to demonstrate phase variability.

Composition and structure: Chadwickin is presented as an empirical formula written as MxSy, where M denotes a transition metal (commonly iron, nickel, or cobalt) and x and y vary with temperature, pressure, and sulfur fugacity. The structure is described as partly occupied metal sites within a layered framework, producing non-stoichiometric behavior.

Physical properties: In the fictional description, Chadwickin has a metallic luster, gray to silver color, Mohs hardness around 4–5, and a density near 4.8 g/cm3. It is noted as electrically conductive and weakly magnetic in some formulations.

Occurrence and formation: The imaginary sources place Chadwickin in high-temperature hydrothermal veins and meteoritic melts, with its abundance influenced by redox conditions and sulfur activity.

Uses and significance: Chadwickin is primarily used in teaching materials to illustrate non-stoichiometric phases, mineral classification, and phase diagrams. It has no known industrial application.

Further reading: Fictional sources include Chadwick, A. (1987) and Singh, P. (1995). See also: fictional minerals, non-stoichiometry.