Ionite was a very rare and valuable material, found on Bandomeer. Inherently ionite interfered with energy fields, such as deflector shields, due to its ability to hold neither a positive nor a negative charge, but rather an alternate charge. In the presence of positively charged elements, it carried a negative charge that negated the positive charge, and vice versa. Any electronic device in its proximity was thus voided and ruined, a notable example of this being that any timers in its vicinity were shut down (A notable problem for miners who could thus run out of air while mining it without realizing what was happening to them).