Tylium

Tylium is the primary heavy fuel source of all ships within the Colonial Fleet and primary fuel for all sub-light propulsion systems in the Imperial Colonial Fleet (And within RDM continuity) many forms of Cylon spacecraft.

Elemental Properties
Tylium is a curious substance in the universe where the Twelve Colonies resides. Used by both Colonials and their foes, tylium has the similar properties of a mineral or fossil fuel in as that the substance is mined and refined. Like some fossil fuels, tylium isn't useable until refined. While the ore can't be detonated, its precursor (similar to refined crude oil before its refinement into gasoline and other products) is very explosive. The fuel itself oddly enough isn't as explosive as precursor, however.

At its base form Tylium is an exotic primordial compound. Similar to previous Research by astronomers, spectrographic analysis among them, has found compounds which do not normally form on Earth or the Colonies, but are formed and stabilized within the unique conditions of space. Tylium could be one such compound, which is why the Colonial scouts constantly scout asteroid belts rather then planets to find it.

Tylium in its raw primordial compound ore form is destabilized on contact with other elements, such as oxygen, that are commonly found on terrestrial worlds. Tylium shares several chemical and energy properties with the semi gaseous element Helium-3

According to the Colonial Department of Energy (CDOE) all forms of Tylium share these common properties
 * Tylium ore is rendered inert and unusable when exposed to nuclear radiation
 * Refined tylium precursor is more unstable and much easier to ignite than the finished fuel itself
 * Refined tylium has a tremendous enthalpy to the order of approximately half a million gigajoules per kilogram, or about 6 times greater than Uranium-235 and 81% that of deuterium fusion.
 * A tylium detonation results in no radioactive fallout

Fuel Processing
Tylium comes processed in several different types and forms