Cryptolite

/ˈkrɪptəlaɪt/ noun

Definition

A mineral or rock whose internal structure or composition is hidden or difficult to determine, either because it's amorphous or because its crystalline structure is microscopic.

Etymology

From Greek 'kryptos' (hidden) + '-lite' (stone), a mineralogical term from the 1800s describing rocks whose true nature couldn't be determined by the naked eye.

Kelly Says

Obsidian glass looks perfectly uniform to the naked eye, but it's actually a cryptolite—hidden inside are tiny crystalline structures that only powerful microscopes can reveal, showing that what seems smooth might be secretly complex.

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