The Thorne-Yancy Paradox is a fundamental principle of quantum-temporal mechanics, first proposed in a joint paper by Dr. Aris Thorne and Yancy Halloway in 2185. It serves as the theoretical basis for all modern Chronosite processing.
The paradox states: "The act of measuring the precise temporal position of a Chronosite particle alters its mass." Essentially, you can know how much Chronosite weighs, or when it exists, but not both simultaneously. This makes historical dating on Xylos extremely difficult, as carbon dating is rendered useless by the mineral's radiation.
The Paradox also implies that harvesting the mineral removes time from the planet's future, effectively shortening the lifespan of the solar system. This specific conclusion was removed from the public version of the paper by the Obsidian Council to prevent panic.
Mathematicians studying the Paradox have gone insane trying to solve the "Variable T" equation, which supposedly predicts the exact date of the universe's end.