Extoreren

Extoreren is a fictional mineral used in science fiction and speculative geology. It is described as forming in deep crustal or mantle environments, particularly within ultramafic rocks and high-pressure metamorphic zones. The name appears in multiple fictional worldbuilding texts and is sometimes used as a shorthand for a class of iron-nickel alloys with unusual trace-element signatures.

Its described chemical composition varies between sources, but is generally portrayed as an iron–nickel–based intermetallic alloy with small admixtures of a hypothetical trace element called erenium. Physical properties commonly attributed to Extoreren include a metallic luster, a steel-gray to bluish-black color, and a Mohs hardness in the mid-5 range. It is often depicted as highly dense and magnetically responsive, with electronic and superconducting-like behaviors in some narratives.

Occurrence: In-world geology places Extoreren in subduction-related settings or within sparse, oxygen-poor pockets of mantle-derived rocks. It is often tied to hydrothermal systems that concentrate trace elements. Exploration is portrayed as challenging due to rarity, deep emplacement, and risk from reactive fluids.

Applications and economics: In fiction, Extoreren is valued for its purported strength and unusual electronic properties. Uses range from advanced turbine alloys to fictional superconductors. Extraction and processing are described as technically demanding, with environmental and geopolitical considerations affecting supply chains in narrative contexts.

Legacy and reception: Extoreren appears primarily as a speculative concept rather than a real material. It serves as a narrative device for worldbuilding and to explore themes of resource scarcity, technological dependence, and the ethics of mining.