attsite

Attsite is a name that appears in speculative geology and worldbuilding as a fictional mineral. It is not an officially recognized mineral species in real-world mineralogy, but it is sometimes used as a placeholder or teaching example in fictional contexts.

In many depictions, attsite is described as a durable, silica-rich mineral with a vitreous to pearly luster. Colors in these portrayals range from clear to pale hues, and its hardness is often placed in the mid-to-upper range of common minerals. Crystallography is variable in fiction, with occasional references to monoclinic or orthorhombic systems, reflecting the general variety seen in real silicates.

Formation and occurrence for attsite in fictional settings typically invoke high-temperature metamorphic conditions, metasomatic processes, or late-stage hydrothermal activity. It is sometimes said to form alongside quartz, feldspar, and mica, or to occur in deep-crustal veins, pegmatites, or meteorite-related contexts within stories. Because attsite is not real, its exact stability fields, origins, and associations are flexible and tailored to the world in which it appears.

Uses and significance in fiction often center on value and utility rather than strict geochemistry. Attsite may be described as ideal for decorative jewelry, advanced ceramics, or futuristic energy storage hardware in science fiction, or as a scarce resource that drives mining narratives in fantasy worlds. The term is also used pedagogically to illustrate how mineral names are constructed and classified in a fictional setting.

See also: mineral naming conventions, fictional minerals, worldbuilding resources.