Neopreenia

Neopreenia is a fictional mineral described in speculative fiction and in tabletop role-playing game sourcebooks. In these works it is depicted as a rare, elastic silicate with unusual resilience, often used to illustrate concepts of advanced materials and exotic geology.

The name is a portmanteau of neoprene and the suffix -ia, chosen to evoke synthetic origins and mineral-naming conventions.

In most depictions neopreenia is shown as a semi-transparent to translucent mineral, typically green to blue-green in color. It is described as having a Mohs hardness around 6–7, a moderate density, and an unusual elastic or recoverable deformation at microscopic scales, enabling it to absorb impact and then return to its original shape. It can exhibit a glassy to waxy luster.

Story-wise neopreenia forms in high-pressure, low-temperature metamorphic environments or as a product of planetary differentiation in fictional settings. It is often found in isolated pockets within ultramafic rock or deep-crustal metamorphic belts and is sometimes associated with rare-earth element deposits.

In fiction neopreenia is valued for protective applications, flexible electronics substrates, or energy storage prototypes due to its combination of stiffness, elasticity, and stability. It frequently serves as a plot device for scarce resources or as a symbol of advanced technomystical civilizations.

See also neoprene, metamaterials, fictional minerals.