plutonice

Plutonice is a fictional mineral term used in speculative geology and science fiction to describe a dense, heat-resistant silicate phase associated with plutonic igneous environments. The name combines the idea of plutonic rocks with the common mineral suffix -ice, signaling a crystalline material linked to deep crustal processes.

In fictional depictions, plutonice is imagined as a framework silicate with a dense crystal lattice, often described as a pyroxene-like or feldspar-like phase containing trace rare earth elements and small amounts of actinides. Its chemical composition is variable, with sketches proposing a high silicon and aluminum content and network-forming cations that confer strength and stability under high pressures.

Physical properties attributed in stories or speculative accounts typically include a Mohs hardness around 6–7, a high melting point, high density, and a glassy to metallic luster. It is described as chemically resistant and stable under deep-crustal conditions, and it may be depicted as forming under intense heat and pressure within magmatic systems.

Occurrence and context within fiction place plutonice in the deepest sections of continental crust or within high-pressure magma chambers, often within ultramafic-to-silicic plutonic sequences. It is sometimes portrayed as coexisting with other hypothetical minerals that symbolize extreme crustal environments.

In real science, plutonice has no verified existence and is not recognized by mineralogists or geologists. It appears primarily as a conceptual or narrative device in literature and games. When referenced in scholarly contexts, it is typically treated as a hypothetical or illustrative construct rather than a confirmed mineral.