Vidutyt

Vidutyt is a fictional silicate mineral introduced for illustrative purposes. It is described as a rare aluminosilicate that forms under high-temperature conditions in ultramafic volcanic rocks and is not known to occur in real-world geology.

The name derives from videre, Latin for see, plus the mineral-suffix -yt, chosen to reflect its alleged optical significance in this narrative.

Discovery and distribution: Vidutyt was first described by researchers in the imagined Ardentia region in 2024 during basalt surveys. In the story, it occurs as prismatic crystals within vesicular basalt, commonly with olivine and magnetite.

Properties: It crystallizes in the tetragonal system. Hardness 6.5–7 on Mohs scale; pale blue to violet color; vitreous luster; high refractive index (~1.72) and notable birefringence under polarized light.

Composition and formation: Vidutyt is described as an aluminum-yttrium vanadate silicate with trace fluorine and zirconium. It forms via metasomatic alteration of basalt at elevated temperatures, incorporating yttrium and vanadium into the silicate framework.

Applications and research: In this fictional setting, Vidutyt is explored for optoelectronic and high-temperature ceramic uses due to its optical properties and presumed stability. Real-world replication remains hypothetical and limited to theoretical models.

See also, references: See also list of minerals and speculative mineralogy. References are fictional, including Jones and Patel (2024) on Vidutyt and Smith (2025) on optical properties.