rafoilla

Rafioilla is a fictional mineral used in educational texts and science-fiction narratives to illustrate mineralogical concepts. It is described as a rare phosphate-silicate mineral with distinctive optical properties and a crystalline habit that aids in teaching crystallography.

The name rafoilla is a constructed term designed to resemble conventional mineral nomenclature; no real-world language origin is asserted in the fiction.

In standard fictional descriptions, rafoilla crystals are prismatic to tabular, often hexagonal, and exhibit a vitreous to pearly luster. Color ranges from deep azure to violet; transparency ranges from transparent to translucent. The streak is white. Mohs hardness is described as 5.5–6.5. It fluoresces strongly under UV light, typically blue or violet.

Occurrence and formation: In the narrative world, rafoilla forms in hydrothermal veins within ultramafic or metamorphosed rocks, in tectonically active regions. It is typically found with magnetite, pyroxene, and calcite, and is often associated with alteration halos that mark mineral-rich fluids.

Uses and significance: In teaching, rafoilla is used to illustrate mineral properties such as luster, hardness, and fluorescence, as well as crystallography and paragenesis. In fiction, it sometimes appears as a fictional energy or catalyst mineral. There is no real-world mining or commercial trade.