Hotelite

Hotelite is a fictional mineral commonly used in geology and mineralogy education to illustrate how minerals are named, classified, and described. It is not recognized as a real mineral by the International Mineralogical Association or other major mineral databases. In textbooks and online learning materials, hotelite serves as a controlled example with defined but hypothetical properties to help students practice data interpretation without referencing real specimens.

Etymology and classification: The name follows the standard -ite suffix used for minerals and is typically chosen for teaching purposes. In instructional material, hotelite is assigned to a broad chemical family, such as a hypothetical silicate, oxide, or carbonate, to demonstrate the criteria used to place minerals within groups. This designation allows exploration of formulas, stoichiometry, and classification schemes in a clear, non-conflicting context.

Occurrence and structure: In teaching contexts, hotelite is described as occurring in fictional deposits or synthetic analogues. The crystal system may be presented as monoclinic or orthorhombic for demonstration, with a hypothetical unit cell and symmetry. These details are illustrative and not meant as factual descriptions of a real mineral.

Physical properties and uses: Hypothetical properties often cited include a color range from colorless to pale gray, a vitreous luster, Mohs hardness around 5–6, and a specific gravity near 3.0–3.5. Because hotelite is not real, there are no mining, production, or commercial uses, and it does not appear in mineral trade catalogs. It remains a teaching tool to illustrate mineral nomenclature and classification.