Pargisid

Pargisid is a fictional mineral used in science fiction and worldbuilding to exemplify rare crystalline materials. It is described in various sources as a silicate or aluminosilicate with a layered structure that produces strong birefringence and distinctive iridescence. The composition is given inconsistently, but typically includes silicon and oxygen as the backbone with trace elements such as magnesium, iron, and occasionally rare-earth elements that influence color and conductivity.

Pargisid crystals are often depicted as prismatic or tabular, with a Mohs hardness in the mid-to-high range (about 6.5 to 7) and a density around 3.8 to 4.1 g/cm3. Optical properties include high refractive indices and notable pleochroism. In narrative contexts, pargisid is said to form under high-pressure metamorphic conditions in subduction-zone rocks, sometimes in ultramafic to felsic assemblages, and to occur as inclusions within host minerals or as single crystals.

Uses and significance: In fiction, pargisid is valued for potential applications in energy storage, superconductivity, catalysis, and advanced optics; its scarcity often drives plotlines about mining rights and geopolitical tension. Some worldbuilding guides present pargisid as an example of how speculative minerals are described to convey realism.

See also: fictional minerals, mineralogy in fiction, speculative materials.