Were it not for the fact that I have basically been told I can’t go home, I would find the whole controversy amusing. DED and CONCORD may not take my work for it – nor the word of my colleagues – but I am Meredith en Thielles. I could give you the encyclopaedic-like entry of where I was born, when, and even who all my family members are. Where I went to school, my grades, and even every employer.
But CONCORD has that. Me knowing it would prove nothing. It would only prove I can read and hack a computer which would be simple for a Drifter.
What they don’t get is exactly what my friends do – why they know it’s me. It’s what I can’t copy and what makes me… well… me. It’s that sense of Self they don’t understand in me having that makes me know I am myself without any shadow of a doubt.
Their loss is Solyaris Chtonium’s gain.
Professor Meredith en Thielles, Astrogeologist – Lippstadt Creed/SLYCE
Algonquin Secondary and Vocational School
Mirilene System (Gallente Federation Navy Space Station)
I can see by the looks on some of your faces that you fully expected this series of lectures to have ended yesterday. After all, I talked about Arkonor, Bistot, and Crokite – the ABC’s – of nullsec ore. What else could I possibly add? Actually, I could add quite a bit. That would include how to mine it and what you need to be aware of, and tomorrow we will indeed talk about that. On this fourth day, I have one more ore to tell you about that you will find in null-sec.
Spodumain
Spodumain is another rock type ore found in nullsec of a similar density of the previous three, and like those three previous I mentioned it also only requires a normal mining laser to mine. Like the other three ores in the previous lectures, Spodumain is a very valuable and useful ore used in numerous things. Spodumain is another gem yeilding ore, but the gems and crystals found within it are the more common ones however, in spodumain those gems and crystals are found in far greater quantities and are far purer in form than in any other ore. Those gems and minerals are: Tritanium, Pyerite, Mexallon, and Isogen. While these four elements are common, their amounts and density within the “spod” makes the ore extremely valuable and useful. Tritanium and Mexallon are metals, while Pyerite and Isogen are crystals and/or gems.
Rarity
Spodumain is only found in nullsec. Period. What also makes it a bit more rare is that it’s also only found in two sections of nullsec and those are close to the Amarr Empire and close to the Caldari State, both of which harbour both dangerous pirates and factions of independent capsuleers who have formed into alliances and powerful coalitions in their bid to carve out their own sovreign space.
What is Spodumain Used For?
Numerous things. Because it yeilds not one, but four different minerals, two of which are the first of the metals in this series of lectures, and two different crystalline structures, its value is quite high.
Tritanium
Tritanium is used for everything, despite its physical volitility and probably because of its common availability. It’s literally everywhere and almost everything yeilds it making it one of the most common metals in New Eden.
Mexallon
The second metal found in Spodumain, it is a very malleable and common mineral of a silvery green colour. When combined with tritanium, it creates alloys that are difficult to break through (making it useful in ship construction) but can also be used by itself.
Pyerite
Pyerite is a common, but disctinctive fiery orange gem used in a few different ways such as creating electrical conduits, lasers, in bio-chemical applications… and even as jewellry if cut to enhance its natural glow.
Isogen
Another gem found in select places, but in those places found in great quantities. Hard, tough, and seemingly impossible to cut except by another Isogen crystal with a sparkle of light blue within a white crystal. Ship builders use it in electronic and weapon manufacturing, particularly in cutting other things or focusing lasers, but the rich love it for the sparkle when cut for jewellry to yeild a white stone that sparkles with blue and faint blue. For ages, perhaps even before the EVE Gate, the stone was featured prominently as the stone of choice when a lover desired to take a spouse as the focal point in “bending the knee” to the prospective spouse. A popular saying from a popular jewellry maker in Intaki space was that “Isogen is a girl’s best friend” for thousands of years.
Theories on the Origin of Spodumain
Spodumain is likely formed in much the same way as Arkonor and Bistot. Like the others, to figure out its origin, which helps in finding new deposits, we need to look at what comes out of it.
References
http://eve.wikia.com/wiki/Isogen
http://eve.wikia.com/wiki/Mexallon
http://games.chruker.dk/eve_online/item.php?type_id=35
http://eve.wikia.com/wiki/Tritanium
http://games.chruker.dk/eve_online/item.php?type_id=19
http://eve.wikia.com/wiki/Spodumain
https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Asteroids_and_Ore
Staring at Asteroids 