Adamantine (Adah-man-teen)

Adamantine is a metallic alloy renowned for its durability and resilience. Many believe it to be nigh-unbreakable. The exact formula for smelting adamantine is a secret closely guarded by dwarven smiths, but most believe it is an alloy of its base ore, adamantite and other materials like iron or titanium. What is known is that whatever the formula is, it is incredibly precise, as most attempts to replicate it result in either a material that is far too dense and heavy to be used effectively, or incredibly brittle.
Paradoxically, adamantite in its raw form is also markedly brittle. While many metals like gold or copper or even iron to an extent will bend and warp with pressure, adamantite crumbles. Only by refining it with other ore does that lack of flexibility become unbreakably hard. When in its refined form, adamantine weighs about the same as steel but becomes hard enough that the only thing that can reliably pierce it is more adamantine. Even diamonds are unable to scratch refined adamantine.

Properties

Material Characteristics

Adamantite in its raw form is a jagged, crystalline metal that is greenish-blue in hue. When smelted and refined, it takes on a more reflective coloration, like a darkened steel; maintaining hints of green or sometimes purple undertones.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Adamantine is effectively unbreakable once forged and can only be bent or reshaped when heated, which is in and of itself a difficult feat, as its melting point is astonishingly high. To that end, the dwarves that forge it generally rely on geothermal forges to achieve the necessary temperatures to smelt and forge it.

Geology & Geography

Adamantite can be found throughout the lands, though not nearly as abundantly as iron or copper. It is still more common than silver, gold, mithral, and platinum. Adamantine's rarity and value instead derives from the esoteric knowledge required to create anything useful out of its raw mineral form.

Type

Metal

Color

metallic green/gray