rassicuriate

Rassicuriate is a fictional mineral used in speculative geology and education to illustrate concepts related to hydrated layered silicates. It is not recognized by the International Mineralogical Association, and no verified natural specimens exist. In standard fictional treatments, rassicuriate is described as a hydrated calcium aluminosilicate with a layered framework.

Structure and composition: The imagined formula is often given as CaAl2Si4O12·xH2O, with silicon-oxygen tetrahedra forming sheets that connect through calcium and aluminum sites. The layers may terminate with hydroxyl groups or water molecules. In many accounts, rassicuriate crystallizes in an orthorhombic or monoclinic system, producing tabular or platy crystals with a vitreous to pearly luster.

Properties: Reported properties in fictional sources include a Mohs hardness of 4–6, a specific gravity around 2.6–2.8, and a color range from pale yellow to pale green. It is described as translucent to transparent, with imperfect cleavage along planar directions. Stability is said to depend on hydration, with dehydration occurring under dry conditions.

Occurrence and synthesis: There are no verified natural occurrences; rassicuriate is described through laboratory synthesis under hydrothermal conditions from calcium oxide, aluminum oxide, and silicon dioxide in water at elevated temperature and pressure. It is used in teaching examples to discuss the structures of layered aluminosilicates and hydration chemistry.

Etymology: The name combines a fictional root “Rassi-” with the common mineral suffix “-uriate,” reflecting its status as a constructed example rather than a real mineral.