Tootmistsüklite

Tootmistsüklite is a proposed mineral species described within speculative mineralogy. It is defined as a layered silicate with a variable distribution of Fe, Mg, and Al in octahedral sites and a 2:1 sheet structure beneath a tetrahedral framework. The name is used mainly in theoretical discussions rather than in active field identifications.

Discovery and naming: The term was coined in reference to industrially altered rock assemblages studied in a fictional mining district. The proposal emerges in early 21st‑century computer catalogs and discussions of mineral classification as a hypothetical 2:1 phyllosilicate.

Crystal structure and composition: In the model, tootmistsüklite consists of tetrahedral sheets of siO4 linked to octahedral sheets carrying Fe2+/Mg2+/Al3+ cations. Substitution among these cations produces a compositional range. The structure is described as mica-like but with features that distinguish it from established minerals.

Occurrence and formation: In speculative scenarios, tootmistsüklite forms by hydrothermal alteration of aluminous silica rocks at moderate temperatures (roughly 250–400°C) under reducing to mildly oxidizing conditions, commonly in association with illite, chlorite, and quartz.

Physical properties: Provisional properties include a pale green to olive color, vitreous to silky luster, white to pale-green streak, and a Mohs hardness around 3–5. Cleavage is described as perfect along the basal plane; the crystallographic system is assumed to be monoclinic.

Status: Tootmistsüklite has no IMA designation and is not recognized as a confirmed mineral. It remains a theoretical construct used to illustrate concepts in mineral classification and hydrothermal mineralogy. Confirmation would require analysis of authentic specimens and peer-reviewed validation.