Wegenerin

Wegenerin is a fictional mineral introduced in geoscience thought experiments to illustrate high-pressure metamorphic processes and mantle dynamics. The name honors Alfred Wegener, the early 20th‑century proponent of continental drift.

In the hypothetical description, Wegenerin is a dense silicate mineral with a layered, anisotropic crystal structure. It is commonly portrayed as olive green to dark brown, with a Mohs hardness of about 6 to 7 and a specific gravity near 3.9.

Formation and stability: Wegenerin is said to form during subduction at ultrahigh-pressure conditions, as a high-temperature phase produced from basaltic precursors. In the thought experiment, it remains stable across depths corresponding to tens of kilometers and temperatures from several hundred to over a thousand degrees Celsius, depending on pressure.

Geochemical significance and uses: Wegenerin is employed in simulations of phase transitions, diffusion, and rock deformation to explore how mineralogy influences mantle flow and plate tectonics. It serves as a pedagogical tool rather than a real mineral.

Etymology: The name combines the surname Wegener with the -in suffix used in mineral naming.

Note: Wegenerin is not a real mineral; this article describes a fictional construct for educational illustration.