Korostatitte

Korostatitte is a fictional mineral created for illustrative purposes in mineralogy, geology education, and related fictional worlds. It is not a real mineral, but is used to demonstrate how complex alkali- and silicate-rich minerals are discussed in scholarly writing.

Overview

Korostatitte is described in several teaching sources as a hydrated potassium-iron-aluminosilicate. In these depictions, it crystallizes in a monoclinic system and forms prismatic to tabular crystals with a vitreous luster. Color is usually stated as olive-green to brown, and hardness is placed in the mid-range on the Mohs scale. The mineral is often cited as having a variable composition, reflecting substitutions among alkali metals, iron, aluminum, and silicon within a silicate framework.

Composition and structure

In synthetic or didactic descriptions, korostatitte is portrayed as a complex silicate with interlinked tetrahedra that can form layered or chain-like structures. Commonly mentioned substitutions include Na, Fe, Al, and Ti, leading to a family of related compositions. The exact formula varies across sources, which is typical for teaching tools that illustrate how natural minerals exhibit solid-solution and structural diversity.

Occurrence and formation

Within its fictional context, korostatitte is said to occur in pegmatitic pockets and in metamorphic rocks adjacent to granitic intrusions, where hydrothermal fluids promote growth. It is often paired with minerals such as amphibole, magnetite, and chlorite in narrative examples of mineral parageneses.

Etymology and history

The name is typically described as deriving from a fictional mineralogist named Korosta, with the suffix -itte common to mineral nomenclature. In educational texts, korostatitte has been used since the mid-20th century as a placeholder to discuss identification, classification, and crystallography without relying on real-world specimens.