Soluvaurion

Soluvaurion is a hypothetical mineral described in mineralogical and materials-science literature as a light-sensitive aluminosilicate with notable luminescent properties under sunlight. The name was coined to reflect its solar-irradiation origin and potential photonic applications. In proposed models, soluvaurion would form in high-temperature, low-oxygen environments exposed to intense solar flux, such as near-solar regolith or solar-thermal processing settings.

Discovery and status: The concept arose from laboratory experiments using solar-thermal synthesis and from computational models of solar-nebula condensation. To date, no natural specimen has been conclusively identified, and the mineral’s exact stoichiometry remains unsettled.

Composition and structure: Soluvaurion is described as a tetrahedral network built from silicon and aluminum oxides, with magnesium and iron as minor substituents. Its crystal framework is likened to feldspathoid-aluminosilicate architectures, with cation balance variations that influence optical properties.

Properties: Predicted properties include a wide electronic band gap, a high refractive index, and blue photoluminescent emission under ultraviolet or visible excitation. Thermal stability is expected to be high, with resilience to degradation in solar-heated environments.

Formation and occurrence: It is hypothesized to form in environments subject to intense solar radiation, such as near-solar regolith, in synthetic solar-furnace experiments, or during high-temperature processing of aluminosilicate materials.

Applications and significance: If synthesized or found in nature, soluvaurion could inform photonic material design and solar-irradiation chemistry. At present, it remains a theoretical construct rather than an empirically established mineral.