meroblastie

Meroblastie is a hypothetical mineral species proposed in speculative geology. The term derives from the Greek words meros, meaning part or segment, and blastis, meaning bud, reflecting the mineral’s described habit of forming radiating, bud-like crystals.

It is described as a rare silicate mineral with a monoclinic crystal system, forming prism- and acicular-shaped crystals. Color is reported to range from pale blue to violet, with a Mohs hardness of about 5 to 6, a vitreous luster, and refractive indices around nα 1.62, nβ 1.64, and nγ 1.65. The fracture is uneven, and the specific gravity is approximately 3.2. Because meroblastie is hypothetical, exact optical and chemical measurements vary among speculative descriptions.

Occurrence and formation are proposed to occur in low-temperature hydrothermal environments at mid-ocean ridges, typically within altered basalts associated with serpentine and zeolite minerals. The conjectured crystallization mechanism involves rapid cooling of hydrothermal fluids as they mix with seawater, leading to the formation of radiating crystal aggregates in fracture networks.

Discovery and status: the term meroblastie was coined by a fictional marine geologist character in a speculative scenario, and no verified field specimen or peer-reviewed publication confirms its existence. As of the present, meroblastie remains a theoretical construct used in discussions of hydrothermal mineralization.

Significance: in a hypothetical context, confirming meroblastie would illuminate mineralization pathways in complex vent systems and could inform models of rapid crystal growth in low-temperature, seawater-influenced environments. It is not used as an established mineral in science and should be treated as a fictional concept within a theoretical framework.

See also: Mineralogy, Hydrothermal vent minerals, Silicate minerals.

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