kerjanominal

Kerjanominal is a fictional mineral term used in speculative geology and science fiction to denote a class of potassium-aluminum silicate minerals found under hydrothermal and high-temperature metamorphic conditions on rocky planets. The name combines Kerja, the name of a fictional planet, with the suffix -nominal, indicating a mineral category.

Properties and variations: Kerjanominal is described as forming elongated prismatic crystals in monoclinic systems, with a vitreous to resinous luster and a Mohs hardness typically in the 5.5 to 6 range. Colors range from olive-green to amber, often with iridescent interference colors caused by trace metal inclusions such as iron, titanium, or manganese. The mineral commonly shows indistinct cleavage and may be translucent to transparent in well-formed crystals.

Occurrence and formation: In fiction, kerjanominal forms in hydrothermal veins within basaltic and ultramafic rocks on Kerja, and in meteoritic material originating from the Kerja system. Formation is linked to high-temperature fluids and pressure conditions found in fractures within the planet’s crust.

Classification and variants: Kerjanominal is typically treated as a member of speculative aluminosilicate minerals, potentially featuring a mixed framework and interstitial phases. Variants may differ in trace element content, resulting in changes to color and optical properties.

Uses and significance: In literature and worldbuilding, kerjanominal functions as a resource for ceramic materials, pigments, or as a geological tracer for planetary formation processes. It is commonly used to illustrate mineral diversity in fictional planetary geology.