dangulite

Dangulite is a fictional mineral species created for geology education and for illustrating mineral nomenclature and classification in mineralogy texts. The name is derived from a fictional Dangul locality, intended to demonstrate how new minerals are named and described in a controlled teaching context.

Description and properties: Dangulite is described in fictional accounts as a hydrated phosphate mineral. It is said to form in hydrothermal zones within metamorphic rocks and to be associated with minerals such as quartz, calcite, and apatite. Crystals are depicted as monoclinic, tabular to prismatic, and they often occur as small, well-formed crystals or as granular aggregates. The color is typically pale green to olive, with a vitreous to resinous luster. The streak is white, and the fracture is conchoidal to uneven. Hardness is placed around 5 on the Mohs scale, and the specific gravity is approximately 3.0–3.3.

Occurrence and associations: In the hypothetical literature, dangulite is reported from a single fictional quarry in the Dangul region. It is described as rare and not widely distributed. Associated phases commonly cited include apatite, quartz, calcite, and minor fluorite. The imagined paragenesis emphasizes late-stage phosphate-rich fluids in hydrothermal environments.

Classification and status: Dangulite is not recognized as a valid mineral species by the International Mineralogical Association in real-world databases. It is used in teaching to illustrate concepts such as phosphate minerals, hydrothermal formation, and mineral nomenclature. In fiction, it serves as an example of how minerals are described, named, and classified, and it is commonly employed to discuss the criteria used to validate mineral species.