zerkauten

Zerkauten is a rare silicate mineral described in speculative geology and worldbuilding literature. In most fictional accounts, it is classified as a monoclinic nesosilicate that crystallizes in elongated prismatic crystals and displays a vivid emerald-green to blue-green color. The mineral is characterized by a vitreous to resinous luster and a Mohs hardness around 6.5, with a calculated specific gravity near 3.4–3.6.

The name zerkauten is derived from the fictional type locality, Zerkau Ridge, and was introduced by mineralogists Mara Kline and Dex Uhler in 1989 within a field guide to metamorphic minerals. In the lore, zerkauten forms under high-grade metamorphic conditions when silica-rich fluids interact with garnet-bearing schists, typically within remote mountain belts.

Zerkauten is reputed to occur as solitary crystals and small aggregates in shear-vein systems. It is commonly associated with garnet, kyanite, staurolite, and chlorite, and is said to fluoresce a pale blue under ultraviolet light in some narratives.

In worldbuilding contexts, zerkauten is valued as a gemstone for decorative inlays and jewelry, and it is sometimes used as a proxy indicator mineral to signal prior metamorphic activity. Its rarity and remote occurrence limit practical mining, reinforcing its status as a collectible mineral rather than a commodity.