Variklius

Variklius is a proposed mineral phase in high‑pressure geoscience. It is hypothesized to occur in the deep mantle or in subducted oceanic crust under pressures exceeding those in the upper mantle. The name Variklius is a coined term from Latin‑inspired roots intended to evoke its predicted bent or fault‑like lattice geometry.

In models, variklius is described as a dense, metal‑rich silicate or oxide with a framework similar to known high‑pressure minerals like bridgmanite but with a distinctive lattice that includes transition‑metal cations. Predicted polymorphs could vary in coordination and symmetry, with a high bulk density and low compressibility relative to surrounding phases.

The formation conditions are proposed to occur at ultrahigh pressures and relatively moderate temperatures, characteristic of subduction zone interiors or mantle transition zones. It may appear as a metastable phase upon decompression, contributing to the historic uncertainty about phase transitions in deep Earth.

As of the mid‑2020s, variklius remains largely theoretical. Evidence consists of computational crystal‑structure predictions and limited laboratory attempts to replicate similar high‑pressure phases in diamond‑anvil cell experiments. Reported X‑ray diffraction patterns have been described as broadly consistent with predicted variklius motifs, though no unambiguous natural specimen has been identified.

If confirmed, variklius could help explain anomalies in seismic wave velocities and contribute to models of mantle chemistry. In addition, understanding its properties could inform materials science under extreme conditions, though practical synthesis remains speculative.