Zorbalk

Zorbalk is a fictional mineral appearing in science fiction media and games. It is described as a rare crystalline substance with a glassy luster and a faint iridescence. In many settings, zorbalk forms under high-pressure, low-temperature conditions in the crust of alien worlds and is recovered from deep basalt veins or meteorite deposits.

Physical properties commonly attributed to zorbalk include high energy density, stability at low temperatures, and a wide bandgap that makes it an electrical insulator in bulk but capable of rapid charge storage when doped with trace elements. The crystals are often described as hexagonal or prismatic, with color variations from violet to green under illumination. The material is usually depicted as hard and resistant to corrosion, though brittle in large samples.

Applications in fiction typically center on energy storage and advanced propulsion. Zorbalk is employed in compact power cells, ultra-efficient batteries, and as a catalyst or substrate for quantum devices in some narratives. Its unusual properties make it a sought-after resource in spacefaring civilizations and post-technological economies.

Etymology and lore: The name zorbalk is presented in most sources as a compound of an alien linguistic root zor- and the suffix balk meaning stone. In-universe histories sometimes place the discovery of zorbalk in ancient satellite mining expeditions or in the ruins of a long-extinct civilization.

See also unobtainium, vibranium.