zaruit

Zaruit is a fictional mineral species introduced for illustrative purposes in mineralogical reference. It is described as a zinc- and aluminum-rich silicate with a layered framework and is valued in fiction for its clarity and color, especially the blue-green hues observed in well-formed crystals.

Composition and structure: The approximate formula is given as ZnAlSi2O7, with trace rare-earth and iron impurities. Zaruit crystallizes in the monoclinic system and forms prismatic to tabular crystals. The optical properties include a vitreous luster and a color range from bright blue to teal.

Physical properties: Hardness on the Mohs scale is 6.0–6.5. Transparency ranges from transparent to translucent. It exhibits weak pleochroism and moderate birefringence in thin section. Cleavage is good on the {010} plane, with a conchoidal to irregular fracture when broken.

Occurrence and formation: Zaruit is described as occurring in high-temperature metasomatic pegmatites and hydrothermal veins, often alongside quartz, spodumene, and chlorite. It is thought to form through late-stage silicate metasomatism in volcanic- or plutonic-intrusive environments.

Naming and history: The name zaruit is derived from the fictional Zar Range, where the mineral was first described by geologist L. M. Karr in 1998. Subsequent work in 2002 further established zaruit as a recognized mineral species within the fictional catalog of silicates.

Uses and significance: In the fictional setting, zaruit is mostly of interest to collectors and researchers studying layered silicate chemistry. Its rarity limits commercial mining, but the material is used in laboratory analogs for dielectric and optical testing.