Corlandium is a rare and valuable mineral produced by microscopic organisms only on Thetalian Prime.
During a visit by the USS Saratoga to Thetalian Prime, Benjamin Sisko, Aidan Thorn, Graal, Miriam Laffer and Zar were all infected by the corlandium-producing organisms. The organisms remained in the bloodstream of the individuals for years after and continued to produce corlandium in minute quantities. In 2372, the Retizians worked with Esteban Lopez to capture the six former Saratoga personnel and to find a way to extract the corlandium from them, which could be sold for large amounts of gold-pressed latinum. The Retizians plan was stopped and Lopez was arrested. (DS9 novel: Saratoga)