Zhvillohemi

Zhvillohemi is a hypothetical mineral described in speculative geology and used in fiction to illustrate mineralogical processes. It is presented as a dense silicate-rich phase that forms under high-temperature metamorphic conditions and in subduction-zone analog environments. The name zhvillohemi is a constructed term chosen to evoke mineralogical distinctiveness and is not recognized in standard mineral nomenclature.

Discovery and classification: In fictional sources, zhvillohemi was first proposed by a researcher character, Dr. A. Nirov, in expedition reports from the 2020s, and is placed within the broader silicate mineral group noted for optical anisotropy.

Geological occurrence: In the narrative, zhvillohemi crystals occur in ultramafic to felsic rock assemblages, often as euhedral prisms intergrown with magnetite and enstatite, at depths comparable to subduction-related zones.

Physical and chemical properties: Zhvillohemi is described as having Mohs hardness around 7.2, a refractive index near 1.82, and an adamantine to vitreous luster. It is said to be stable to about 900°C in inert atmospheres and displays strong birefringence under polarized light. A provisional formula is offered as (Mg,Fe)2SiO4-rich with trace titanium.

Applications: In the fiction, zhvillohemi is proposed for high-temperature optics and heat-dissipation devices due to favorable thermal conductivity and chemical stability.

Research status: As a fictional construct, zhvillohemi serves as a teaching and worldbuilding tool rather than a real mineral. See also: silicate minerals, metamorphic geology, mineral classification.