Minerals are natural, inorganic, solid compounds with a regularly ordered crystalline structure. (TNG: "Silicon Avatar") Rock is a naturally occurring solid substance composed of minerals. (TNG: "Thine Own Self") All mineral names, with only a few exceptions, end with the suffix -ite or -ine. Mining is the process of extracting minerals from objects like planets and asteroids. (DS9: "Chimera") Furthermore, several planets are sources of minerals in the Federation including Earth, Janus VI, Ardana, Capella IV, Coridan, and Elas. (TOS: "Journey to Babel", "Elaan of Troyius")
Notable minerals
- The benamite crystals could be use to construct an advanced quantum slipstream drive. (VOY: "Timeless")
- Boronite is a rare mineral ore which was used in the synthesis of Omega molecules. (VOY: "The Omega Directive")
- Gallicite can produce strong electrical currents when metal objects are held nearby. (ENT: "Kir'Shara")
- The key component of the Xindi superweapon was the mineral kemocite. (ENT: "The Shipment")
- Janus VI was an important Federation source of pergium used to generate energy. (TOS: "The Devil in the Dark")
- The only known cure for Rigelian fever was the rare mineral ryetalyn. (TOS: "Requiem for Methuselah")
- Capella IV was a rich source of the rare mineral topaline. (TOS: "Friday's Child")
- Trellium is a mineral that was used as insulation against anomalies by ships in the Delphic Expanse. (ENT: "Damage")
- Uridium is an unstable mineral that was used in Cardassian ship construction. (DS9: "Indiscretion")
- In 2269, the only known source of the mineral zenite was the planet Ardana. (TOS: "The Cloud Minders")
Mineral life
Some lifeforms were mineral-based, such as the Crystalline Entity, the Excalbians, the Horta, the microbrain, the silicon-based lifeform, and the Tholians.
See also
Minerals |
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Antimonium • Archerite • Arcybite • Asbestos • Bakrinium • Bemonite • Benamite • Beresium • Bernicium • Bilitrium • Chrondite • Cormaline • Cormalite • Duranite • Eisillium • Feldomite • Feldspar • Fortanium • Gallicite • Garnesite • Hematite • Hornblende • Ice • Jakmanite • Jevonite • Kelbonite • Kemocite • Ladarium • Magnesite • Murinite • Nitrium • Noranium • Olivine • Paralithium • Pergium • Polyferranide • Promethean quartz • Pyrite • Quartz • Riddinite • Ryetalyn • Salenite • Selenite • Silicate • Silithium • Styrolite • Talgonite • Topaline • Trellium • Trevium • Tricellite • Tricyanate • Tri-magnesite • Tritanium • Tryoxene • Uraninite • Uridium • Vendarite • Vokaya • Zenite |