vigaid

Vigaid is a fictional mineral used in worldbuilding, speculative fiction, and tabletop role-playing settings. It is described as a rare, luminous silicate that forms in high-temperature hydrothermal systems and pegmatitic environments. In many treatments, vigaid crystals have a glassy to prismatic habit and emit characteristic light when exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

Etymology: The name vigaid was coined by mineralogist Dr. Asha Qadir in a 2145 expedition narrative within the fictional Vigna sector. The term is typically explained as derived from the Vynaic word vig meaning light, with the suffix -aid indicating a mineral species.

Occurrence and formation: Vigaid is said to occur in isolated pegmatite bodies and certain metamorphic terranes. It is commonly associated with quartz, spodumene, beryl, and sometimes rare earth fluorides. Crystallization is described as arising from silica-rich fluids that crystallize under moderate to high pressures at temperatures roughly between 350 and 600 degrees Celsius.

Physical properties: In standard descriptions, vigaid has a Mohs hardness around 6, a refractive index near 1.65, and a specific gravity of about 3.3. It displays strong luminescence under UV light and may show weak pleochroism. The crystals are typically prismatic or tabular.

Uses and significance: Because of its luminescence and proposed semiconductor-like properties, vigaid is depicted as valuable for jewelry, phosphors, and speculative energy storage or optoelectronic applications within fictional economies and technologies.

Safety and handling: In-world notes generally describe vigaid as non-toxic to handle, though dust precautions are advised for crystalline powders, as with other minerals.

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