neorite

Neorite is a fictional mineral described in speculative geology and science fiction. It is said to be a silicate-rich mineral notable for its optical effects and variable color, often exhibiting a shimmer or iridescence that changes with lighting and viewing angle.

In fictional accounts, neorite’s chemical composition is variable but commonly described as containing silicon and aluminum with alkali and alkaline earth elements, plus trace rare earth elements. The crystal structure is portrayed as layered, enabling strong pleochroism and radiant reflections. Reported properties include a Mohs hardness around 6 to 7, a vitreous to pearly luster, and a blue-to-violet color shift under polarized light. Densities are given in a range from about 2.9 to 3.4 g/cm3 depending on source.

Occurrences and formation are described differently across fictional texts. Neorite is said to occur in ultramafic or high-grade metamorphic rocks in imagined mountain belts, often in veins associated with magnetite or nepheline-bearing assemblages. Some sources attribute its formation to rapid crystallization from hydrothermal fluids, while others posit synthetic laboratory processes or extraterrestrial origins in speculative settings.

Etymology and use: the name combines neo- meaning “new” with a mineral-suffix convention, and it is often depicted in fiction as a decorative stone or as a precursor material for advanced ceramics and energy technologies in imagined worlds. The neutral, scientifically flavored tone is typical of how neorite appears in speculative literature.