Pikofaradeina

Pikofaradeina is a hypothetical mineral species described in speculative geology and astrogeology. The name combines a prefix suggesting small-scale features with a suffix honoring early spectroscopic research, invoked in theoretical discussions of mineralogy on icy worlds.

Discovery and description: In 2147, researchers analyzing remote-sensing data from the fictional icy moon Nyx in the Argo system proposed pikofaradeina as a distinct mineral phase. Identification hinges on a characteristic ultraviolet–visible spectral doublet and a near-infrared absorption band attributed to a mixed iron-nickel sulfide-oxide lattice, interpreted in models rather than from physical samples.

Composition and structure: Pikofaradeina is described as containing iron, nickel, and sulfur with trace silicon and rare earth elements, crystallizing in an orthorhombic system. Reported physical properties include a metallic luster, a pale gray-green color, and a calculated density around 4.7 g/cm3. Mohs hardness is estimated near 6.

Formation and occurrence: The mineral is hypothesized to form in high-pressure, low-temperature environments within ice mantles, nucleating on silicate grains or metallic inclusions. It has been proposed to occur in microcrystalline inclusions within ice or in glassy ejecta within plumes, with no bulk sample recovered to date.

Potential significance and status: As pikofaradeina remains unconfirmed by lab synthesis or direct specimen recovery, its properties are speculative and used primarily in theoretical mineralogy and planetary science models. If validated, pikofaradeina could illuminate cryogenic mineral formation, planetary differentiation, and magneto-electrical phenomena in icy worlds.