Telluriumia

Telluriumia is a fictional mineral species introduced in speculative geology and science fiction to illustrate tellurium-rich mineralogy. The name combines tellurium with the suffix -ia, a common convention in mineral nomenclature in fictional worlds.

In the fictional setting, Telluriumia forms in hydrothermal veins and skarns linked to granitic intrusions and is often found with minor sulfides and tellurides. The composition is described as Te-rich, with tellurium as a major constituent in several imagined polymorphs; some variants incorporate oxide or sulfide companions.

Crystals are typically prismatic to tabular, with a metallic to submetallic luster. Color ranges from steel-gray to bronze, and the mineral is ordinarily opaque. Mohs hardness is variably cited as 3 to 6, while the estimated specific gravity lies around 7.5 to 8.3.

In fiction, Telluriumia is suggested as a potential source of high-purity tellurium for thermoelectric devices or specialized semiconductors, owing to the heavy tellurium content and presumed stability. It serves as a narrative device to explore mineralogy and resource economics in speculative settings.

Telluriumia is not a recognized mineral species by the International Mineralogical Association and exists as a fictional or hypothetical construct rather than a verified natural material.