Koosnevates

Koosnevates is a fictional mineral class used in speculative geology and worldbuilding contexts. In this setting, koosnevates are hydrated silicate minerals with layered sheet structures similar to phyllosilicates, featuring interlayer water and variable hydration.

The name combines a constructed root koos- with the suffix -evates, following a convention in the fictional system for naming mineral groups. In the lore, the term is attributed to the fictional geologist Dr. A. Koosneva, who is said to have described the mineral in studies of the Hespera Mountains.

Properties commonly described for koosnevates include a general formula that represents layered silicate sheets with removable water molecules. Colors are typically colorless to pale green or blue, with a vitreous luster and a Mohs hardness around 5–6.5. They may exhibit pleochroism and weak birefringence, and some depictions note faint iridescence from microcrystalline inclusions. Under ultraviolet light, faint fluorescence is sometimes mentioned.

Occurrence and formation in the fictional setting place koosnevates in metamorphosed volcanic rocks within subduction-related belts, such as altered basalts and andesites. They are described as forming through hydrothermal alteration followed by hydration, and they commonly occur alongside minerals like smectite, chlorite, magnetite, and quartz.

Significance and use in worldbuilding and education focus on illustrating hydration processes, cation exchange in layered silicates, and potential applications in lightweight ceramics or speculative electronic components. In narratives, koosnevates serve as a material element that highlights mineral resilience under changing environmental conditions.

See also: Silicate minerals, Phyllosilicates, Layered minerals.