jordlaster
Jordlaster is a term used in science fiction and speculative worldbuilding to describe a class of devices or phenomena capable of interacting with planetary crust to rapidly alter subsurface conditions. The concept is typically used to facilitate resource extraction, terrain modification, or terraforming operations. The name is a constructed neologism with no standardized etymology.
In-universe mechanisms, jordlaster devices are often described as producing intense energy pulses or resonant field effects
Applications in fiction commonly include rapid mining of ore bodies, creation of stabilized tunnels, or conversion
Variants and ethical considerations can appear across works: handheld tools for fieldwork versus large fixed installations
See also: geotechnical engineering, terraforming, rock blasting, energy-based excavation devices.