collite

Collite is a fictional mineral name used in geology education to illustrate mineral description and nomenclature. It does not refer to a formally recognized mineral in current geological databases.

In typical teaching descriptions, collite is a dark, metallic-looking mineral with a silvery-gray to black color and a metallic luster. It is said to crystallize in the isometric system, forming octahedral or cubic crystals, though educational specimens are often shown as massive or granular. Mohs hardness is commonly assigned as 5 to 6, and the inferred specific gravity ranges from 4.5 to 5.5, depending on the source.

Fictional geological context places collite in hydrothermal vein deposits with quartz and sphalerite. Localities are imaginary or illustrative, such as a generic “Collis district.” The chemical formula is not standardized in teaching materials; common mock formulas include FeS, (Fe,Ni)3S4, or simple sulfide equivalents, all of which are not real.

Etymology: collite is a constructed name, sometimes linked to the Latin collis (hill) or to a fictional explorer. History: collite first appears in early 20th century textbooks as an example mineral for data collection, description, and classification. It remains a conventional pedagogical placeholder in many modern teaching resources, with explicit notes that it is not a real mineral.

See also: mineral nomenclature, mineral properties, pedagogy, educational minerals.