sciimirn

Sciimirn is a fictional mineral described in speculative fiction and science-fantasy media. It is valued for its combination of extreme physical resilience and extraordinary energy-conducting properties, and it appears in a range of works with variations in its origin and behavior. The name is used as a plausible-sounding scientific term, and some authors give it a lab-derived etymology related to “science” and “mirn” or “mirror,” though there is no canonical origin across all works.

In most depictions, sciimirn crystallizes in rare ore deposits formed under high pressure and chemically unusual environments, such as the cores of icy bodies or deep-ocean vents on mining worlds. Crystals are typically described as hexagonal prisms with a shimmering, iridescent luster. Physically, sciimirn is exceptionally hard and heat-resistant, and it exhibits a dramatic electro- or magneto-electric response. Its most notable property is the ability to couple with exotic fields or subspace energy, enabling highly efficient energy transfer, storage, or propulsion when integrated with fictional devices. Some versions claim superconductivity at comparatively high temperatures within the story's technology.

Extraction and handling are hazardous in the stories due to toxic dust, radiological byproducts, and the risk of destabilizing the ore’s field interactions. Commercially, sciimirn is portrayed as highly valuable and tightly regulated, driving rival factions and policy disputes in its fictional universe.

Related terms and similar fictional materials include unobtanium and adamantine. See also: speculative materials in science fiction.