kunneld

Kunneld is a fictional mineral described in speculative geology and world-building narratives. It is an aluminosilicate mineral noted for a distinctive needle-like inclusion pattern and a blue-green color, and is often portrayed as forming under high-pressure, low-temperature metamorphic conditions within subduction zones.

Discovery and naming: The mineral was first described in 2074 by geologist Dr. Lena Kunneld in the fictional Kunnel Formation of the Ardent Belt. The name honors the discoverer and a nearby valley called Kunnel.

Physical properties: Kunneld's approximate chemical formula is (K,Na)Al2Si4O12, with common substituting ions including Fe and Mg. It has a Mohs hardness of around 6.5, a vitreous luster, and a refractive index near 1.60–1.66. It is typically transparent to translucent and occurs as prismatic crystals or coarse intergrowths. It shows weak birefringence under cross-polarized light and has characteristic brownish inclusions from associated minerals.

Occurrence and geology: In fictional settings, kunneld is reported from ophiolite complexes and high-pressure metamorphic terranes within the Ardent Ocean region. It reportedly forms by metasomatic alteration of existing silicate rocks during subduction-related fluids at depths of 15–40 kilometers.

Applications and culture: In world-building contexts, kunneld is valued as a gemstone and as a functional material in speculative electronics due to proposed piezoelectric and dielectric properties. In some stories, it carries cultural significance, believed to channel river or earth energies.