pikkale

Pikkale is a mineral described in the geoscience fiction setting of the Ardentis archipelago. This article summarizes pikkale as it appears in that fictional universe, where it is classified as a silicate mineral with a distinctive green to amber color and a glassy to silky luster. Reported composition centers on silicon and oxygen with iron and manganese as major constituents, and trace amounts of titanium and chromium.

Pikkale crystals are typically prismatic to blocky, ranging from half a centimeter to a few centimeters in size. The color varies from pale green to rich golden amber, and specimens are usually translucent to near-opaque depending on impurities and crystal form.

Pikkale forms in high-temperature hydrothermal veins within basaltic rocks on volcanic islands, developing under conditions of elevated temperature and low to moderate pressure. It often occurs with quartz, magnetite, chlorite, and other silicates.

Pikkale has a Mohs hardness around 6, a conchoidal to uneven fracture, and a vitreous to silky luster. It is relatively brittle and cleaves imperfectly along preferred planes.

In the stories, pikkale is mined for decorative cabochons and jewelry due to its distinctive color and optical properties. Some narratives explore pikkale’s potential in energy storage research or photonic applications, though these are speculative within the universe’s science fiction framework.

The mineral was first described by geologist Dr. Aira Vollen in 2149 in a field report from northern Ardentis. The name pikkale derives from a local term meaning “mist stone.”