Treenerite

Treenerite is a fictional mineral used in mineralogy education to illustrate the process of mineral description and naming. In typical teaching scenarios, treenerite is described as a hydrated sodium-magnesium silicate-phosphate that forms as pale yellow to olive, prismatic crystals in metamorphosed rocks. It is said to have a vitreous luster and to be translucent to opaque, with a Mohs hardness around 5.5–6 and a density near 3.0 g/cm3.

Treenerite derives its name from the hypothetical geologist Elena Treener in the example literature. It is not recognized by the International Mineralogical Association and does not occur as a confirmed natural species; rather, it serves as a teaching specimen to demonstrate type locality, naming conventions, and solid-solution concepts.

In the educational description, treenerite has a layered structure combining silicate sheets with phosphate linkages and interlayer cations such as sodium and magnesium. The chemical formula is deliberately variable to illustrate solid-solution behavior, with the understanding that real details depend on a formal IMA description.

In the scenario, treenerite is imagined to form during contact metamorphism of feldspathic rocks and is frequently shown alongside quartz, chlorite, muscovite, and calcite in classroom textures.

Usage and significance: as a didactic example, treenerite helps students learn mineral nomenclature, crystallography, and the distinction between real minerals and instructional constructs. See also mineralogy education, silicate minerals, and phosphate minerals.