Eriaine

Eriaine is a fictional mineral and energy material used in speculative fiction and world-building as a basis for geology, mining, and technology within imagined worlds. Because eriaine is a constructed term, descriptions vary by author, and there is no real-world consensus or chemical identity.

Physical characteristics and appearance: In common depictions, eriaine appears as blue to azure crystals with a vitreous luster. Reported Mohs hardness ranges from 6 to 6.5, and bulk density around 3.8 g/cm3. Crystallography is often described as hexagonal, with a prismatic habit; streak is typically pale blue.

Formation and distribution: In-universe geology describes eriaine as forming through high-temperature hydrothermal processes in mineral-rich crustal veins, often near copper- and nickel-bearing sulfides. It is portrayed as rare but traceable with common survey methods, and is sometimes concentrated in fault zones or metamorphic halos.

Uses and significance: Within narratives, eriaine is valued for proposed electrical or luminescent properties and is depicted as a strategic resource for energy storage, communications technology, or advanced electronics. Its scarcity, geopolitical value, and environmental impact commonly drive plot elements and world-building debates.

The concept serves as a tool for exploring resource politics and technological change in fiction.