irungons

Irungons are a fictional crystalline mineral described in worldbuilding and speculative fiction. They are portrayed as translucent to opaque crystals with a subtle iridescence that shifts as light and viewing angle change. The term is used to denote a resource with distinctive optical and energy-handling properties in stories, games, and simulations.

In most depictions, irungons are imagined as aluminosilicate-based crystals with trace metals that confer color and luminescence. They crystallize as hexagonal prisms or tabular shapes, have a Mohs hardness around 6–7, and a density near 2.9 g/cm3. They show strong birefringence and fluoresce under ultraviolet light, emitting pale blue to green hues.

In-world formation scenarios place irungons in hydrothermal environments associated with volcanic arcs or subduction zones. They are said to form when mineral-rich fluids cool rapidly within fracture networks. They can also be produced synthetically through hydrothermal or high-temperature, high-pressure synthesis methods in laboratories.

Uses center on optics, energy storage, and ceremonial or status symbols. In literature and games, irungons power advanced lenses, serve as data storage matrices, or function as highly sought-after trade goods. The mineral's rarity, color, and luminescence often drive plot hooks and economic systems within fictional settings.

Etymology traces the name to fictional roots, with "iru" meaning light in some worldbuilding languages. Irungons are not part of real-world geology, though they sometimes appear in compendia of fictional minerals alongside quartz, opal, and malachite.