inundtus

Inundtus is a fictional mineral species introduced in speculative geology and science fiction to illustrate rapid diagenetic mineralization under flood-like conditions. The term blends the Latin inundare, meaning to flood, with a common mineral suffix to create a plausible, science-fictional designation.

Characteristics attributed to inundtus in fictional works typically describe a translucent to pale iridescent mineral with a glassy to waxy fracture. Reported properties include high porosity, substantial hydration, and a soft to moderately hard texture that can exhibit subtle luminescence or color shifts under different lighting. In some narratives, inundtus is depicted as forming in layers within sedimentary sequences that experience sudden, intense flushing by waters carrying dissolved silica and other ions.

Formation and occurrence in literature usually hinge on catastrophic flood events or experimental basins within invented geographies. Common settings include fictional basins and synthetic landscapes where rapid transport of mineral-rich fluids and abrupt pressure changes drive quick precipitation of hydrated silicate phases. It is important to note that inundtus is not recognized in real-world mineralogical catalogs and serves as a narrative device rather than a scientifically described mineral.

See also: hypothetical minerals, diagenesis, flood geology (fiction).

Notes: As a construct of fiction, specific details about inundtus can vary between works and authors, and no empirical data supports its existence outside of imagined contexts.