dinior

Dinior is a fictional mineral species described here to illustrate a typical entry in a mineral encyclopedia. The name derives from the fictional Dinoria region in the northern mountain belt, a location commonly used in teaching materials about mineral nomenclature.

Discovery and occurrence: Dinior is said to have first been described in field reports attributed to the Dinoria Geological Survey in 1984. It is reported to occur in hydrothermally altered ultramafic rocks, typically as veins within serpentinized peridotite. Dinior is often found in association with chromite, magnetite, talc, and serpentine.

Crystal and physical properties: Dinior forms monoclinic crystals, often elongated prismatic in habit, with a vitreous to subadamantine luster. Color ranges from olive-green to gray-green. It has a hardness around 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale and displays good cleavage along the {010} plane with weaker cleavage along others. It is usually opaque or translucent in small specimens.

Composition and classification: It is described as a magnesian silicate containing aluminum and iron impurities, with trace chromium contributing to its color. In teaching materials, it is typically placed within the broader silicate minerals, sometimes discussed alongside sheet- and chain-structure silicates for comparative purposes.

Uses and occurrence in collections: Because of its rarity and aesthetic color, dinior is primarily collected by mineral hobbyists and used in pedagogical contexts. It is not known to have significant industrial applications due to scarcity and occurrence.

Etymology and references: The name honors the fictional Dinoria region; in educational guides, dinior is used to illustrate mineral naming conventions and the process of peer-described mineral entries. See also minerals, silicate minerals, mineralogy.