Ultracite

Ultracite is a crafting component in Fallout 76.

Background
Ultracite is a unique, radioactive glass-like material discovered by Atomic Mining Services beneath the soil of Appalachia. Although its origins mystified AMS scientists, its properties did not: Ultracite was an incredibly potent source of energy, to the point of near inexhaustibility.

When properly handled it could supply enough power to keep industrial-grade machinery working for decades. If not, its potency could slag reactors and cause meltdowns. AMS fully believed it to be the future fuel source for the entire United States - and with them in control of the supply, their hegemony on the market.

At first, AMS started locally, powering Watoga and leasing their technology to the two major corporations on the mining market in Appalachia: Hornwright Industrial and Garrahan Mining Co., as well as the energy conglomerate Poseidon Energy, treating the substance similar to that of uranium. The contracts came with strings attached: To power the Excavator power armor, Garrahan had to make a decade-long commitment to AMS technology.

While they secured a dominant position on the market, AMS also worked to remove the obstacles to widespread adoption of ultracite nationwide: Depleted ultracite played havoc with the regular material, resulting in a corrosive reaction melting both materials, necessitating extreme care in separating and containing the two materials. However, that complication was only second to the biggest one: AMS did not understand the creation process for ultracite. This led to situations where shafts marked as failure could suddenly develop veins of ultracite, as well as grow and expand beyond previous expectations, as was the case with Mine Shaft No. 9 near the town of Welch.

The ultracite vein rapidly developed, emerging not just in the shaft, but inside the town. To maintain their monopoly, AMS quickly secured property rights within twelve hours and moved in to force everyone in the town off of their property. Unsurprisingly, the move radicalized the already angry miners.

AMS decided to perform underground nuclear tests to retrieve ultracite. The "radioactive glass," as contractors came to call it, could be reliably obtained that way and made the expense entirely worthwhile. However, human workers tended to break the ultracite, requiring the need of Auto-Miner robots to safely mine and transport the material. Ultracite could also be manufactured via the Hornwright Industrial Ash Forge, via aerosolization.

Characteristics
A very rare component used for crafting anti-Scorched weaponry, ultracite power armor, and other powerful weapons and armor.

Ultracite and depleted ultracite cannot withstand contact with each other; instead, contact results in both samples explosively melting down. Atomic Mining Services learned of this via experimentation with the material, while the Responders later discovered and utilized this information via Hank Madigan. Having proven that the Scorched Plague causes the formation of ultracite within living tissue, the Responders took the opportunity to weaponize it, making retrofitted ultracite weaponry extra effective against Scorched creatures.

Locations

 * Converted from the above listed junk items.

Behind the scenes
Ultracite appears to have similar characteristics to coal, as Poseidon Energy Plant WV-06, formerly a coal-burning power plant, was easily retrofitted to burn ultracite fuel. This is also shown through the weekly challenge "Collect Toys and Coal," where one may collect ultracite instead of coal. Furthermore, the name ultracite resembles anthracite, the highest grade of coal. "Ultracite" may thus suggest a material with properties similar to coal, but greater than even those of anthracite.