Kinetics of Mineral Growth and Dissolution: Implications to the Rock-Forming Processes on Earth and Terrestrial Planets

Within the field of mineralogy and planetary geology, there is an increasing interest in understanding the kinetics of mineral growth and dissolution. These processes are central to interpreting the geological and geophysical features of Earth and other terrestrial planets. Currently, the scientific community is focused on the thermodynamics of the rock-forming processes. Despite significant progress made in geochemistry and petrology, many questions remain unanswered regarding the specific rates, mechanisms and conditions under which minerals form and dissolve, leaving a gap in our understanding.

This Research Topic aims to deepen insights into mineral growth (including epitaxial processes) and dissolution kinetics and their impact on rock-forming processes relevant to both Earth and other terrestrial planets. By elucidating the rates at which minerals evolve and dissolve, we can infer past and present geological and geophysical environments on these celestial bodies. This knowledge is pivotal not only for geochemistry and petrology but also greatly influences the understanding of rock formation, ore deposit production, and comprehensive geochemical cycles across planets, as well as has implications for current nanotechnologies and materials science.

To gather further insights in mineral dynamics constrained by factors such as temperature, pressure, and chemical interaction, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Rate and mechanisms of mineral growth / dissolution and the factors influencing these kinetics
• Experimental methods and technologies simulating natural mineral behaviors
• Geochemical techniques to study mineral reactions in diverse environments
• In Situ Analysis techniques of mineral growth and dissolution
• Theoretical models of epitaxial growth of natural and artificial objects
• Applications addressing mineral growth and dissolution in ore deposit formation
• Environmental applications addressing mineral behavior in contamination and remediation
• Planetary science applications revealing geodynamic conditions of planets
• Practical implications for industry, honing conditions for material synthesis in ceramics, metallurgy and nanotechnologies

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Kinetics of Mineral Growth, Epitaxial Growth, Terrestial Planets, Rock Forming Processes, Mineral Behaviors, Mineral Reactions, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Ore Deposit Formation

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.