Crocodolite
"Crocodolite"
Sometimes known as "The Gator Stone"
At a quick glance or to an untrained eye, it appears that this mineral is just an ordinary, muddied, blueish or greenish rock with patches or scales of thin fibrous minerals. Those "scales" are the tell tale sign of the filamented layering of the crystals, that help to identify this mineral.
Properties
Material Characteristics
Crocodolite consists of tiny, thin, hard, fibrous, blueish grey to greenish grey, lustrous crystals, that easily break apart in water or a damp environment.
Geology & Geography
Crocodolite is a naturally occurring mineral found in many igneous rocks and mountain ranges. This mineral is often found in regions where ancient magmas cooled at a very slow rate. The slow cooling allowed enough time for the fibrous crystals to grow. Often found in the Serra Dens Mountains, Paluster Marsh, and similar environments.
Life & Expiration
Being somewhat brittle, the crystals are easily broken through everyday handling and wear and tear.
History & Usage
History
Crocodolite is a seldom seen or used material in today's world. In ancient times, primitive tribes would heat and melt it's fibers to create an early form of black glass. This glass was used to make most common everyday items, such as bowls, cups, or containers.
Discovery
An exact discovery date is unknown, as this mineral can be found just laying on the ground in some circumstances. It's easy to conceive that ancient dwarves would have probably found and discarded the mineral during their mining operations or that the early inhabitants of Cuska would have come across it in their explorations of the nearby mountains and swamp. However, ancient peoples and primitive cultures would most likely have been the first to use the mineral, but few records remain of those people and times.
Everyday use
Crocodolite has two main uses today. The first and simplest use, is as a specimen in mineral collections, for those with the interest, time, and coin for such pursuits. Second, it is thought that it's powdered form is an essential ingredient in concoctions and potions intended to cure a variety of mental psychosis.
Cultural Significance and Usage
Explorations into the Serra Dens Mountains and the Paluster Marsh have found evidence of Crocodolite being used in recent times to make black glass bowls, cups, plates, pots, and various common items. It is believed that the longer a person used the glass item, the more likely it would have been for them to ingest the fibers and develop any of several psychological illnesses. This may be one possible explanation for the rumored, crazed peoples of the time and area.
Manufacturing & Products
Due to its low melting point, Crocodolite can be melted and fused into an inexpensive and inferior form of black glass. This glass is often used by primitive peoples to make various every day items.
Hazards
The mining and collection of Crocodlite often leads to detrimental health effects if proper precautions are not taken.
Upon inhalation of the fibrous mineral, the air sacs in the lungs are punctured and damaged resulting in various coughing fits. Long term exposure can result in shortness of breath, reduced lung capacity, wheezing, and eventual lung cancers.
Ingestion of the fibers will stick in the lining of the stomach and eventually dissolve from the digestive acids. This new mixture in the stomach will be absorbed into the bloodstream, traveling throughout the body and affect the brain. Those affected in this way often develop paranoia, schizophrenia, insatiable thirst and hunger, an obsession with uncooked foods, a desire to be a lizard, and eventually the mental illness, Reptilus Mentis.
Reusability & Recycling
Due to it's fragile nature, Crocodolite cannot be reused or recycled and often breaks down over time. Proper storage is highly recommended to prevent inadvertent inhalation or ingestion.
Distribution
Trade & Market
While hard to come by, it is common for Crocodolite to be available for purchase in many gem shops and occasionally in apothecaries or places of healing. Some primitive cultures still trade and barter with it, as it can be used to make a form of black glass.
Storage
It is highly recommended that Crocodolite always be stored in a sealed airtight container in order to prevent accidental inhalation or ingestion.
Law & Regulation
There are no laws concerning the possession or use of Crocodolite.
Type
Ore/Mineral
Rarity
Rare.
Odor
Odorless
Taste
Tasteless
Color
Blueish grey to greenish grey
Melting / Freezing Point
1112 degrees Farenheight
Density
3.3
Common State
Blueish grey to greenish grey, lusterous, fiber crystal usually found attached to or in igneous rocks.
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