haliren

Haliren is a fictional mineral widely used in science fiction literature and world-building. Descriptions portray it as a dense, translucent substance with an iridescent sheen that shifts color in different lighting.

In narrative sources, haliren is said to have a Mohs hardness of 5 to 7 and a refractive index around 1.75 to 1.85, with crystalline forms that can be monoclinic or hexagonal. It is depicted as chemically stable under normal conditions but capable of reacting with powerful oxidizers. Some accounts attribute high energy storage capability and exceptional radiation resistance to haliren, making it valuable for advanced devices.

Haliren is described as forming in hydrothermal veins on planets, as well as in asteroid regolith and other extraterrestrial environments. Mining and refining haliren typically require high-temperature processing, vacuum distillation, or specialized ore concentration techniques. In fiction, its scarcity and difficulty of extraction contribute to its high value.

Common uses in stories include energy storage devices, optical metamaterials, shielding coatings, and occasional role as currency or status symbol.

The name Haliren is typically linked to the words halo and iris, alluding to its shimmering, rainbow-like surface.