Kipsplaatide

Kipsplaatide is a fictional mineral term used in Dutch-language speculative writing, educational demonstrations, and discussions about building materials. The name derives from kipsplaat, the Dutch word for drywall, combined with the mineral-name suffix -ide, a pattern seen in mineral nomenclature. The term does not correspond to any recognized substance in standard mineralogy or geology.

In fictional contexts, kipsplaatide is described as a calcium sulfate–based mineral related to gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O). Descriptions vary, but common portrayals give it a white or pale gray appearance, a soft Mohs hardness around 2–3, and a low density near 2.3 g/cm3. It is sometimes depicted as having insulating or fire-resistant properties when incorporated into building panels, reflecting its drywall heritage.

Formation and occurrence in fiction are typically imagined to result from diagenetic alteration of sulfate-rich sediments or through rapid evaporation of sulfate-bearing waters near the surface. Such depictions situate kipsplaatide in near-surface or shallow-subsurface environments, often in arid or semi-arid settings.

Real-world status: there is no verified natural occurrence or synthetic production of a mineral named kipsplaatide in mineral databases or industry literature. The term functions primarily as a linguistic or pedagogical device or as a plot element in fiction, rather than as an established material used in construction or geology. See also gypsum, calcium sulfate minerals, and drywall.