kaloina

Kaloina is a fictional mineral described in speculative geology and science fiction. It is presented as a silicate-based mineral with unusual energy-storage properties and a distinctive iridescent appearance. The term appears in world-building guides and hobbyist geology compendia, but it has no basis in real-world mineral catalogs.

In the fictional accounts, kaloina forms in high-temperature, low-oxygen environments, such as basaltic magmas or volcanic vents on temperate planets. It is said to crystallize as plate-like lamellae that interlock into a weakly anisotropic lattice, enabling rapid charge transport under certain conditions. Its terrestrial occurrence is described as extremely rare.

Properties as depicted include a low density for a silicate, a high refractive index, and a metallic sheen that changes color with angle. In many versions, kaloina shows enhanced electrochemical performance, allowing it to function as a natural energy storage material when embedded in composites, sometimes described as voltage-stable at high temperatures.

Etymology notes that the name kaloina is often attributed to fictional discoverers in science-fiction lore, with various in-universe legends about its origin. Because it is a construct of fiction, there is no standardized chemical formula or authoritative mineral classification.

In fiction and game design, kaloina is used as a plot device or resource, cited for powering advanced technologies or as a rare commodity with strategic value. It is occasionally referenced in didactic world-building resources to illustrate how minerals might be imagined in alternate geologies.