Gondolins

Gondolins are a fictional mineral described in speculative fiction and role‑playing game materials as a rare silicate that forms in high‑grade metamorphic and subduction‑related environments. In these imagined settings, Gondolins crystallize in deep crustal pockets when silica-rich fluids interact with ultramafic rocks, producing prismatic crystals and dense fibrous aggregates. The mineral is prized for its vivid color, typically ranging from deep indigo to violet‑blue, and its high luster.

Physically, Gondolins are said to have a hardness around 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale and a specific gravity in the low to mid 3s. Photons passing through Gondolin crystals may show notable birefringence and pleochroism, making the mineral attractive for decorative facets and specialized optics in fictional technologies. Spectroscopic analysis in these works usually identifies characteristic absorption bands in the visible spectrum and distinct X-ray diffraction patterns.

In the lore and game worlds where Gondolins appear, they hold substantial economic and symbolic value. They are used for gemstone cuttings, high‑precision lenses, and components in fictional nanostructures due to presumed thermal stability and optical properties. Trade in Gondolins is often restricted, with rigid provenance claims and ethical mining narratives common in storylines.

Etymology generally connects the name to a fictional region or mining towns within the same universe. Because Gondolins are part of fictional worlds, real‑world verification relies on the specific source material or game rulebook in which they appear.