Latueris

Latueris is a proposed mineral species within the silicate family, named for the Latuer region where the first samples were collected. The term was introduced in a mid-2000s publication by geologists seeking to describe a distinctive set of X-ray diffraction patterns associated with a high-temperature aluminosilicate phase. As of the present, latueris has not been formally recognized by the International Mineralogical Association, and its status remains subject to debate.

Description of latueris is based on limited samples, typically colorless to pale blue and translucent, with a vitreous to subadamantine luster. Reported crystal forms are prismatic to tabular, occurring in small to microscopic sizes. It is described as an aluminosilicate associated with a tetragonal crystal system and a Mohs hardness around 6. The composition is thought to be dominated by aluminum, silicon, and alkali metals, with trace elements; however, a precise empirical formula has not been universally established.

Occurrence and formation are currently anchored to a single or few localities in volcanic or alkaline magmatic rocks of the Latuer Plateau. The mineral is described as arising during high-temperature hydrothermal alteration in alkaline environments, with associations to quartz, feldspathoids, and other silicates reported in field notes. Because these observations are limited, latueris remains poorly documented outside the original locality.

Discovery and status: The name latueris was proposed by researchers who stressed the need for a formal description, crystallographic data, and a deposited type specimen. Until such data are published and vetted, the mineral’s status will likely remain provisional, with some scientists treating latueris as a possible new phase rather than a fully established mineral species.