Niigatene

Niigatene (新潟気, Nīgataki) is a type of natural resource first discovered on Niigata. It is a chemical compound that appears to be unique to Niigata, though synthetic variants have been created elsewhere. Primarily appearing as a gas, Niigatene is used as a fuel when purified. It is volatile and poisonous in its purified form, but non-toxic and harmless in its impure form, forming a large portion of Niigata's atmosphere and providing the yellowing tint and unique smell the planet is known for.

Properties
Niigatene gas occurs naturally on Niigata due to certain sub-surface volcanic activities, collecting in the vast underground caverns within the planet's crust and seeping to the surface via geysers, from which it may be directly extracted. Using drilling wells is also a viable method of collecting Niigatene, though doing so is dangerous due to the volatility of pure Niigatene, especially in the concentrated amounts in the underground deposits. When mass amounts of Niigatene underground detonate, earthquakes or the appearance of sinkholes can occur on the surface.

In its pure form, the gas has an unusually high potential energy rating and can act as a powerful fuel source when purified. Niigatene is used in both gaseous and liquid form as fuel for vehicles, spacecraft and spaceships. Pure Niigatine gas is toxic to oxygen-breathing organisms, though some Niigatan fauna like the Niigata Roach have adapted to survive in high-Niigatene environment in the cave networks.

Niigatene loses most of its energetic properties when it bonds with other gasses, such as hydrogen, in large quantities, becoming impure and inert. The primary purpose of Niigatene refining is thus to purify it. Inert Niigatine has a slight odour and can still be seen as a light yellow haze. It is non-toxic in this state and is not processed by the human body.

Niigatene is very prevalent in the atmosphere of Niigata, giving the planet its distinctive yellowish hue from space and is also responsible for the "Niigata Odour", the ambient smell of Niigatene which is slightly detectable by humans anywhere on the planet. Attempts to collect the Niigatene in Niigata's atmosphere have failed due to the severe dilution atmospheric Niigatene has already undergone.

Crystallised Niigatene has also been discovered in certain asteroids across Imperial Space, proving that Niigatene can occur under natural conditions off of Niigata. This discovery also led to the creation of synthetic Niigatene.

Trade
Niigatene is very important to the economy of Niigata, accounting for roughly 65% of the planet's total exports, with some provinces having Niigatene production or refining account for over 90% of their economy.

Niigatene is used by roughly 35% of all spaceships in the Empire as a fuel.