waferite

Waferite is a term used in speculative mineralogy to denote a hypothetical mineral characterized by ultra-thin, wafer-like sheets arranged in a layered structure. It has not been confirmed to exist in nature, and as of 2025 the name is primarily used in educational and theoretical contexts. The term derives from the wafer-like habit described in proposed models.

Composition and structure suggest waferite would be a hydrated phyllosilicate-like phase with a base silicon-oxygen framework and interlayer cations such as magnesium, aluminum, and iron. The idealized formula is often represented as (Si4O10)(Mg,Al,Fe)2·nH2O, reflecting two-dimensional sheets with relatively weak interlayer bonding that could yield cleavable, wafer-sized plates. The crystal structure is imagined to resemble layered silicates with potential monoclinic or similar symmetry.

Formation and occurrence are likewise hypothetical. Proposals place waferite formation under low-temperature metamorphic or hydrothermal conditions, where silicate sheets and interlayer cations migrate and stabilize a layered habit. If real, waferite would be expected to occur with other phyllosilicates in metamorphic belts or altered silica-rich rocks.

Status and significance are cautioned. There is no independent verification, and no IMA (International Mineralogical Association) approval or widely accepted description for waferite. The concept serves mainly as a teaching example to illustrate how layered, two-dimensional minerals might be organized and how their properties depend on interlayer bonding and hydration.