volcaniche

Volcaniche is a neologism used in speculative geology and some works of fiction to denote a hypothetical class of volcanic-origin materials. It is not a formally recognized mineral or rock type in mainstream geology. In the contexts where it appears, volcaniche is described as a glassy or glass-rich material formed by rapid cooling of silica- and alkali-rich magma, often with a micro-vesicular texture and variable mineral inclusions.

Characteristics attributed to volcaniche in imagined scenarios typically include textures reminiscent of volcanic glass such as obsidian, but with broader variability that may encompass porosity seen in pumice or fibrous features found in some volcanic glasses. Proponents often describe a composition dominated by silicates with trace minerals that reflect the eruptive history and cooling environment.

Etymology and usage: the name combines references to volcano with an adjectival suffix reminiscent of romance-language forms, yielding a term that functions in fictional or hypothetical discourse rather than as a standard geological category. In English-language scientific writing, volcaniche would be treated as a specialized, fictional term rather than an accepted mineralogical designation.

Classification and research: because volcaniche is not officially defined, any purported description would rely on conventional parameters such as mineralogy, glass content, crystallinity, porosity, and the inferred formation context (rapid cooling, quenching, gas loss during eruption).

Relation to existing materials: volcaniche shares thematic resonance with obsidian, pumice, rhyolitic glass, and tektites, but remains a fictional or speculative concept rather than an established natural commodity.

See also: Obsidian, Pumice, Volcanic glass, Tektite, Volcanism.

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