Volatile Motes
Volatile Motes are a naturally-occurring substance, notable for their immense energy. They are most commonly found in the form of a dust, similar to sand, coloured red or reddish brown. As befitting their name, volatile motes are extremely sensitive and highly explosive. It is precisely this incredible energy density that makes motes valuable as a fuel, explosive chemical, and even as a fertiliser. However, the similar pitharan dust is preferred for fuel and fertiliser, as it is both cheaper and safer to handle. The contained energy of volatile motes also makes them valuable for high-temperature manufacturing, such as the production of starship hulls.
Volatile motes are typically found on asteroids, caverns and plains on dry worlds, and, ironically, molten worlds. It is believed that intense heat has something to do with the formation of the motes, though direct sources of energy (such as an open flame or ember) can easily set off a chain reaction. It is for this reason that synthetic mote refineries typically prohibit open flames within five kilometres of themselves, as any errant mote could spark and destroy the facility. Harvesting motes involves trapping them in non-reactive energy fields, which can safely funnel them into containment units.
Volatile motes are typically found on asteroids, caverns and plains on dry worlds, and, ironically, molten worlds. It is believed that intense heat has something to do with the formation of the motes, though direct sources of energy (such as an open flame or ember) can easily set off a chain reaction. It is for this reason that synthetic mote refineries typically prohibit open flames within five kilometres of themselves, as any errant mote could spark and destroy the facility. Harvesting motes involves trapping them in non-reactive energy fields, which can safely funnel them into containment units.
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